Journal of Steel Structures & Construction

The Impression of Enclosure in Persian Garden Design

Abstract

Nazanin Nafisi, Abbas MY and Nafisi S

The presence of enclosure has been a significant characteristic of Persian gardens in Pre-Islamic and Islamic eras. This concept is also reflected in Persian ate miniature painting where buildings are enclosed by a light fence or a wall. In some cases, especially house gardens, the wall looks much stronger, probably to protect the security of the enclosed area. The organic arrangement of natural elements in the garden associated with the pavilion, however, is in contradiction to the presence of the enclosure. It can be said that in numerous paintings, water is not enclosed anymore, but it is the building (and the paved area close to it) that is covered by a transparent barrier or a well. Traditional Iranian towns highly appreciate the sense of privacy in their old building. For centuries, Iranian houses were divided into two parts “Inside” and “outside”, in which family members solely used the first part while guests used the latter as well. Despite the importance of privacy in traditional Iranian culture, Iranian people were not isolated, and social contacts had an importance. In Persian garden can see two barriers: the decorated wall which separates the urban fabric from the garden and the fence which separates the paved area intended for sitting from the planted area. In this subject, it is appealing to see that these two enclosures divide the main frame into three layers of story in which three different groups of figures are located.