Analyzing the Meaning in the Historical and Contemporary Architecture of Semnan, Focusing on the Phenomenological Views of Norberg-Schults

The issue of meaning is one of the discussed components in phenomenology in architecture. Understanding the meaning of the architectural work in the contemporary period compared to the past is something that can be studied. There is a gap in research studies related to the understanding of meaning in the architecture of historical and contemporary buildings in Semnan city. Therefore, it seems necessary to carry out this research to investigate the effect of architecture on users. This is possible through understanding how architecture and the users communicate and understand architecture and the issue of identity. The purpose of this research is to study six historical and contemporary buildings in Semnan city, focusing on the component of meaning in architecture. The study of meaning using the definition of related components and the case study of the architecture of Semnan city has been developed in line with this goal. Based on the four components of identity, acclimation, memory and utility, which were taken from the opinions of Schultz and other phenomenologists in the theoretical foundations of the research, three historical buildings and three contemporary buildings were analyzed. Archival and field methods were used to collect data, and the opinions of phenomenological philosophers, especially Christian Norberg-Schultz, and related literature were examined. After determining the concepts, components and buildings, the Delphi method was used, and experts' opinions have been collected through interviews and questionnaires. After validity assessment, information was collected through a questionnaire, and finally, the results were compared and analyzed using the methods of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, and the findings were presented in the form of graphs and tables. In the statistics obtained from the citizens of historical buildings, more than three contemporary buildings have three components of acclimation, memory, and identity, only the amount of utility component in historical and contemporary buildings is more or less the same. According to the experts, contemporary buildings have a lesser amount in the three components of acclimation, memory and identity, and more in the utility component than historical buildings.