Statement of the Problem
In addition to formal education, schools play a significant role in students' intellectual, emotional, and social development. In recent years, the design of educational environments has increasingly emphasized interactive and collaborative learning; however, many existing schools are not fully compatible with this approach. The spatial organization of schools influences patterns of movement, accessibility, and spatial relationships, thereby strengthening social interactions and, consequently, promoting active learning and interactive education. Schools from the Qajar period also possess valuable spatial configurations that offer inspirational models for contemporary educational design. Nevertheless, the relationship between spatial organization, social interaction, and interactive learning in these schools has received limited scholarly attention.
Research Objective
This study aims to comparatively evaluate the spatial organization of selected Qajar-era schools and analyze their capacity to facilitate social interactions and support interactive learning through three case studies.
Research Method
The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach. Initially, the indicators of spatial flexibility, accessibility, and spatial zoning were extracted from the theoretical literature. These indicators were subsequently analyzed using space syntax measures, including connectivity, integration, and spatial depth. Three schools, Sardar School in Qazvin, Dar ul-Funun in Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti School in Rasht, were purposively selected and analyzed using Depthmap Version 10.
Conclusion
The findings reveal significant differences among the selected schools regarding their spatial organization and their capacity to foster social interaction and support interactive learning.
Sardar School in Qazvin, characterized by its centralized spatial structure, strong connectivity, and high accessibility, demonstrates the greatest capacity. Dar ul-Funun, with its transitional spatial configuration, largely confines social interactions to the courtyard and corridors. Shahid Beheshti School, featuring a linear layout, exhibits the lowest degree of flexibility and the weakest spatial capacity for facilitating social interaction.