levels and pillars of perception in historical houses based on Mulla Sandra’s Substantial Motion (Case study: Haj Mosavver-ol-Molki, Zovelian and David houses in Esfahan)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Architecture , Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran

2 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

The objective of the present research, which is carried out as a case study on historical houses, is “to explain how the perceptual progression from the sensory level to higher levels of perception occurs within the fabric of these buildings, and to identify the key factors influencing this process.” The research method is descriptive-analytical and based on case study research. Within the scholarly literature, philosophical texts have been examined with reference to Mulla Sadra’s doctrine of substantial motion, thereby clarifying the gradations of perception and the varieties of motion. Building on this interpretive foundation, the study investigates the role of motion across the perceptual stages manifested in three historic houses of Isfahan. The findings reveal that, alongside mosques, the architectural spaces of these historic residences possess the capacity to foster existential elevation, wherein the observer undergoes three interrelated forms of motion: visual, physical, and mental. These movements are structured within four interconnected stages: Pause, Transition, Union, and Unity. This spatial organization directs the observer’s perceptual journey in accordance with Mulla Sadra’s epistemological hierarchy, progressing from sensory to imaginative and ultimately to intellectual apprehension. The presence of light at the end of the corridor functions as a catalyst for initiating mental motion. Variations in symbolic cues and the intensity of mental experience across different settings demonstrate the congruence of architectural design with the primary function of each space. Nevertheless, the essential trajectory of perceptual progression—an ascent from sense to intellect—remains a shared and unifying principle across all examined cases.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 September 2025
  • Revise Date: 20 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 22 May 2026

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