دسته‌بندی مبانی نظری معماری و شهرسازی مبتنی بر لایه‌ها، راهبرها و ویژگی‌های شاخص ماهیت شناسی

Introduction: This research addresses a foundational problem within the domains of architecture and urban planning, which stems from the inherent difficulty in identifying and classifying theoretical underpinnings due to the sheer breadth of concepts, the complexity of their definitions, and the ambiguity in the reciprocal relationships between these theories and environmental interventions. This condition, wherein the design and planning processes are exposed to epistemological disarray, often leads to decisions that are incongruous with the social, cultural, and physical fabric of the built environment, thereby limiting the selection and adaptation of theories to meet specific design requirements and decision-making exigencies. The absence of explanatory frameworks for a structured categorization has consequently reduced the application of theory to generalized or abstract levels.
The Purpose of the Research: In response, the principal objective of this research is to formulate an analytical framework predicated on an ontological index for the demarcation of theoretical foundations. This cognitive framework, based on an analysis of the potential capacity (cognitive role) and the actualized capacity (mediating role) of theories, and their organization across six distinct layers and eight common features, seeks to provide a systematic solution that enhances the adaptability and effective utilization of theoretical foundations in the processes of environmental design and planning. The necessity for this research arises from palpable gaps in the theoretical literature and the conspicuous absence of a systemic framework to forge a systematic connection between diverse theories and practical environmental interventions. This deficiency is of critical importance, particularly in projects that demand the flexible adaptation of theories to shifting environmental conditions.
Methodology: The research methodology is anchored in a structuralist qualitative discourse analysis. This approach was chosen for its suitability in navigating the complex and semantic-rich nature of theoretical foundations, enabling the identification of latent semantic structures and the proposed ontological indices. To implement this method, the MAXQDA software was utilized for comprehensive coding, conceptual modeling, correlation analysis, and the validation of the indices. The statistical population for this research comprised 111 selected specialized sources from the past five decades, which were compiled and analyzed through purposive sampling.
Findings and Discussion: The results of the investigation indicate that the concept of the "driver", extracted from the shared content between the layers and common features of theoretical foundations, facilitates a precise demarcation of theory into two principal categories: intra-disciplinary and inter/trans-disciplinary. These drivers function as semantic-functional patterns, providing a diagnostic tool for determining where and how to use theories when confronting an architectural or urban problem. The intra-disciplinary driver, possessing a cognitive-interpretive role, is further subdivided into "objective' and "advisory" types, which focus on specialized analyses and the provision of operational guidelines within the architectural and urban planning frameworks. Conversely, the inter/trans-disciplinary driver, characterized by its applied-interdisciplinary role, encompasses subjective and prescriptive types, which concentrate on interdisciplinary interactions with an emphasis on cultural and social values, and on the regulatory imperatives derived from other fields, respectively. This categorization has been shown to significantly enhance the precision of aligning theoretical foundations with design needs and environmental interventions. Furthermore, the fundamental characteristics of each of the four types—namely, the degree of semantic certainty, the level of generalizability, the scope of operational authority, and the level of perceptual accessibility—have been extracted and presented alongside their respective exemplars and the intricate relationships between the layers and features. The reliability and validity of these drivers were confirmed via Cronbach's Alpha testing, which yielded a strong correlation coefficient of 0.797 for both constructs, affirming their internal consistency and robustness.
Conclusion: The conclusion of this research posits that the proposed ontological index provides an invaluable analytical instrument for designers, planners, and researchers. This index can contribute to an enhanced quality of environmental decision-making and promote a greater convergence between theory and practice in architecture and urban planning. This achievement finds direct application in fields such as strategic design, spatial analysis, sustainable planning, and even the development of pedagogical tools for a more profound comprehension of these theories. The final proposed framework, by establishing a conceptual-applicative relationship between the four types of theoretical foundations, enables an informed and targeted selection process based on the value and capability of each theory across both cognitive and mediating roles. This contribution promises to make design more efficient.