Persian Patterned Architecture is a language of architecture allowing architects to construct meaningful sentences once the grammar for that language is learnt. The sentences are nothing but buildings constructed throughout history developing and completing parallel to the progress and completion of the language. The words are spatial patterns such as Se- dari, Panj-dari, Shekam-darideh, Chalipa, etc. The interrelation of these elements and their locations constitute the grammar of that language. However, there are other factors one needs to consider in designing a building. The most important challenge past architects had to face was how to adapt a regular geometry originating from that language to an ir- regular lot with entrances varying according to site location. Did architects draw plans or did they use other methods? One should say that both methods were used: There are documents and evidence for the usage of both. Through presentation of existing evidence of historical plans, this article tries to establish the extent to which such plans were used and prove how they were insufficient for construction of such complicated structures: most historical buildings were designed and built without the use of such plans. Then, through an explanation of the grammar of Persian architecture as a set of words and through a description of the relationship of these words to one another, the design method in Persian Architecture is explained. For that matter, by choosing an irregular piece of land, the stages that an architect had to go through for building a residential building on such a site is explained. The designer needed to measure the lot according to an intended module varying from 90 to 140 centimeters. A module of 110cms was most popular. According to the length and width of the building, varying from 3 to 5 modules, and considering the thickness of walls--about half a module--a span of 4 to 6 modules would have been selected. According to the hierarchical system of patterns, the space with the highest value was placed on the main axis. Other patterns with a lower level of priority were placed symmetrically on both sides mediated by spaces spanning one or two modules. It should be noted that the North-South axis was considered the main axis while the East-West access was regarded as secondary. Patterns on the top of the hierarchy, i.e. Chalipa and Shekam-Darideh were placed on the main axis. On both sides, as mentioned before, a one-module-wide corrider or Takhtgah (a two-modules-wide corridor) led to Sedari or Dodari. Each wall also required half a module. Sometimes the spaces were juxtaposed with the main space without any mediating spaces. Such pattern was known as Otagh-haye-Toodartoo, or intercon- nected rooms. Having no access to the courtyard, the four corners of the land were considered proper places for entrances, the popular pattern of it being the Hashti. Spaces such as Matbakh (kitchen), Otagh-e-Korsi (sitting room), Anbar (storage) or, in certain cases, the bathroom were also placed on the corners. In cases where the house had more than one courtyard, the con- nection between the two courtyards was influenced by both the corridors and the main and secondary axes, in such a way that the order of one courtyard did not jeopardize that of the other. Finally, according to patterns, the vaulting structure was designed. In Sedaris and Dodaris, patterns such as Kajaveh-Kolombeh, Chahar Pargar and Ahang were used. In Panjdari, the use of Kajaveh, Ahang and Tarkin was most popular. In Shekam Darideh and Chalipa a combination of Kajaveh and Kolombeh or Ahang and Kolombeh was used. The relation of patterns to courtyards and the structure of the building are shown in the presented plans.
* Faramarz Parsi an architecture graduate has a long history in restoring historical urban textures and buildings, teaching from 1994 to 2011 at Azad Universities, Sci- ence and Technology and the Cultural Heritage Universities. Parsi has also been a member of the Memar editorial board from 2006 to 2011.
Plan, 19th century Plan on plaster Rajputi palace, plan and facade