Recognition and analysis of the spatial configuration of traditional schools during the Safavid period (Case study: Traditional schools in Isfahan city

Traditional schools in historical periods have played a significant role in education and the advancement of various sciences. Notably, during the Safavid era, remarkable examples can be observed in important cities like Isfahan. Recognizing the formative spaces within the conceptual framework of spatial configuration can lead to strategies for designing contemporary schools. The research methodology of this study is applied in terms of purpose and combines descriptive and logical reasoning methods regarding its nature and approach. Data collection is primarily library-based, and regarding primary data on spatial arrangement methods, the research sample studies have been gathered through document studies and articles. The case studies consist of various types of schools from the Safavid era in Isfahan, including six schools: Jaddeh Bozorg, Jaddeh Koochak, Chaharbagh, Molla Abdullah, Kaseh Garan, and Nimaavard. In the analysis part, the spatial arrangement method is initially used to call up maps and analyze the spatial parameters of the schools in the software. This involves connectivity and readability using the analytical graph system. The findings indicate that the parameters of connectivity, readability, and the connection relate to the form of the floor plan, access from the courtyard to public and private spaces, and the degree of visual depth in the way spatial connections are configured. Consequently, during the Safavid era, due to the existence of cohesive architectural patterns and the creation of modular and spatially compact, symmetrical structures with central courtyards, these schools are considered outstanding examples in the history of Iranian architecture.