Due to the special properties of today’s world, monologue is no longer responsive and the solution to cultural spaces cannot be found in symbolism.
In the past, entrances, squares, and transitional spaces in general, which were built in the modern times throughout Iran, symbolically represented the function of a building or an urban complex located within a boundary.
But the concept of “square” is altered in today’s world: It is a space which literally creates a field.
The Shora square is a field where the constituent elements are humans. A fully interactive place for human presence and interactions. Fundamental elements such as courtyards, entrances, etc., blend into the space of the square and create new concepts. This square is a contemporary response to the public sphere: the atmosphere of the accompaniment of events, and the possibility of dialogue. This is the arena where Persian culture and art emerge. An urban area for human presence and its interaction with the world.
The shora square is the venue for events, and creates a space for dialogue. In ancient architecture too, various structures can be found which transform the transition space into an event space. Hashtis (An octagonal or round roofed space at the front entrance of a building), for instance, not only produced a passageway or an intermediate space between inside and outside, but also independently created situations within themselves. Hashti, denotes “linger”, so it creates suspension and pause.
The Shora square seeks to create memories and sense of belonging to the space. The sense of belonging is created by connecting to the past from one side, and the worldview and ontology of contemporary man from the other. The memory is strengthened by the right connection with the context of the project.
How can a square create memories for me?
By recording memories, the square becomes a part of my being. To do this, we must become part of the square. Here, by removing many of the constituent elements of space and replacing them with humans, two goals are pursued: First, man as the main element of space, becomes part of the spatial body, and on the other hand, due to the unstable position of man (instability), space acquires a field quality.
Thus, man in the context of the project, connects the elements of the city. S/he is the one who connects or breaks the field around them.
A space created with human elements, has an unstable, floating, active, and unpredictable quality. And of course, these qualities help to create memories. The Shora square is a meeting place, a place to discover, and an opportunity for all people to be present, so that maybe a meeting takes place to discover another world.
