Recent studies perceive lifestyle not merely as an individual matter but as a reflection of layered social and cultural interactions within residential spaces. This study aims to conduct a realist inquiry into the mechanisms of lifestyle representation in creativity-based residential spaces, with a specific focus on the urban context of Tabriz. Utilizing a Critical Realist approach, this research employs a retroductive strategy to move from empirical data toward interpreting the underlying generative mechanisms of lifestyle. Data were collected via a 49-item questionnaire distributed among 491 residents across three neighborhoods with distinct physical characteristics: historical and organic fabric (Nobar), transitional fabric (Parvaz), and late, dense apartment fabric (Ferdows). Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and interpreted into five patterns related to the dimensions of creativity (cognitive, conceptual, regulatory/emotional, interactive/social, and practical).
The findings reveal that at the home scale, residents’ behavioral patterns in the historical/organic fabric (Nobar) predominantly align with emotional and social dimensions; the transitional fabric (Parvaz) exhibits a combination of all five dimensions, while the late/dense apartment fabric (Ferdows) shows a higher overlap with cognitive, conceptual, and practical patterns. Conversely, at the neighborhood scale, interactive/social patterns are more prominently manifested across all three contexts. The retroductive interpretation suggests that the varying patterns of space use and organization in these three urban fabrics are likely associated with differences in physical structure, consumer culture, and the residents’ creative agency.