Background/Introduction: Islamic architecture, with its diverse theological, physical, and functional components, has often been examined in relation to its cultural and climatic contexts. Research in the field of Islamic art and architecture generally falls into two main categories. The first focuses on formal aspects, often critiqued as derivative and lacking spiritual depth, with figures such as André Godard and Arnold representing this view. The second emphasizes the semantic dimensions, viewing Islamic architecture as a mystical art rooted in the Islamic spiritual tradition, with theorists such as Burckhardt at the forefront. Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr is a key proponent of this latter perspective. He argues that one of the primary spiritual merits of Islamic art and architecture in contemporary times lies in its capacity to offer a direct and intelligible expression of sacred architecture. According to Nasr, wisdom in religious architecture is achieved through an understanding of art-a type of art that has become estranged from everyday life and is now preserved as a museum artifact from a traditional past. This wisdom-oriented approach, exemplified by thinkers like Dr. Nasr, represents an endogenous perspective that could pave the way for a redefinition of Islamic architecture (Farshchian, 2017: 92).
In general, individuals’ perceptions and mental images of subjects and phenomena are shaped by visual form, which mediates their relationship with and differentiation from other phenomena. Furthermore, one of the distinguishing characteristics of Islamic architecture is its capacity to evoke emotions and convey profound concepts to the viewer. This capacity stems from the integration of visual elements such as symmetry, centrality, and compositional harmony. Methodology: This research is classified as applied research and employs a correlational method aimed at verifying the influence of recreated visual perception elements on mental associations. The study’s participants were undergraduate and graduate students in Architectural Engineering, selected via random sampling. Data collection was carried out through a pictorial questionnaire consisting of 26 visual items. Each item was selected based on the following criteria: (1) the simplest possible form, (2) absence of color, and (3) comprehensive representation of key concepts based on the theoretical foundations of visual perception in Islamic architecture.
The research began with interviews involving 22 Ph.D. students in architecture. Participants were asked to draw the overall form of Islamic architecture as they imagined it. Analysis of these drawings revealed recurring motifs such as the Iranian Chahar Bagh (four-part garden), architectural arches, simple Islamic Girih (geometric patterns), and domes. While the symbolic significance of these elements has been established in previous studies, the role of visual perception elements-both holistically and individually-has not been thoroughly examined. For instance, symmetry, the foundational concept of the Chahar Bagh, has yet to be systematically analyzed in its full and partial forms.
Consequently, a questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale was designed to evaluate four core variables in Islamic architecture: symmetry, composition, centrality, and transformation. These variables were selected based on their conceptual significance, geometric applicability, and the limited attention they have received in contemporary Iranian-Islamic architectural discourse. A follow-up questionnaire presented the same shapes and asked participants to identify those that evoked associations, regardless of the scores assigned in the previous questionnaire.
The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha in IBM SPSS Statistics 27, yielding a coefficient of 0.79-indicating acceptable reliability across all components. To ensure validity, the preliminary version of the questionnaire was tested with 13 Ph.D. students and revised accordingly before distribution to the broader sample.
Conclusion: Associativity is a key factor in the memorability of Islamic architectural forms. A deep understanding of the mechanisms and influencing elements of associativity can inform the design of structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and semantically resonant-leaving a lasting impression on observers. Once a design is registered in memory, it can serve as a large-scale urban landmark (Lynch, 2003: 9). Dr. Madadpour, in The Manifestations of Spiritual Wisdom in Islamic Art, emphasizes the role of rhythm and repetition in Islamic spatial design as a strategy for creating a sense of infinity. He regards this as a symbolic intermediary representing the infinite existence of the Divine-a view echoed by the research participants (Charkhchian, 2019: 87).
The results of this study suggest that the integration of geometric forms has a substantial effect on mental recall. For example, the combination of an irregular and regular shape in the symmetry section received a low significance rating but achieved a high recall rate (70%). This suggests that conscious use of such combinations can enhance architectural associativity. Similarly, an incomplete Islamic arch, despite receiving only moderate ratings, had a high recall rate (60%), whereas a complete arch, which scored highly in terms of perceived importance, had a relatively low recall rate (26%). In the analysis of centrality (convergent vs. divergent forms), both forms had equal importance ratings, but the divergent form had a significantly higher recall rate (64%), indicating its greater effectiveness in evoking mental associations.