Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses in the city of Hamedan based on the notion of space syntax

The Iranian concept of home goes far beyond physical aspects, and its essence is interwoven with the spiritual nature of humankind. This concept has gained new meanings with the modernization and industrialization of societies. In Iranian architecture, every need is realized in socio-physical systems as well as in design issues. Therefore, spatial relationships are central to architecture, especially residential architecture that addresses a great proportion of an individual׳s daily life. Space syntax seeks to explain how spatial configurations express social or cultural meanings. One such meaning is confidentiality, which was mainly introduced into Iranian architecture as a result of religious beliefs. In Iranian architecture, confidentiality is viewed from the aspect of privacy. This study is a case study that makes use of description, analysis, and logical reasoning. The objective is to analyze behavioral patterns in the spatial configurations of traditional and modern houses in Hamedan. In so doing, library research, software simulation with the UCL Depthmap package, and comparison techniques are utilized. The findings indicate that the spatial configurations of houses have changed in the course of time. In terms of the indices of spatial configurations, however, the striking difference between traditional and modern houses in Hamedan revolves around the integration and equivalence of all spaces in a house. In other words, the hierarchy of access to spaces and the recognition of territories are limited in modern houses. Hence, privacy in modern houses fades.