Roof and Urban Life: Revisiting Iran’s Roofscape through Qajar-Era Travelogues

Raie, Hosein; MohammadMoradi, Asghar; Shams, Mahtab

doi:10.22054/qjik.2026.84591.1449

Roof and Urban Life: Revisiting Iran’s Roofscape through Qajar-Era Travelogues

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Hosein Raie ¹

Asghar MohammadMoradi ²

mahtab shams ³

¹ Assistant Professor, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran Univesity of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

² Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran

³ Master's student in Restoration and Restoration of Historical Buildings and Textures, Preservation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran

https://doi.org/10.22054/qjik.2026.84591.1449

Abstract

In the history of Iranian architecture, roofs have played multifaceted social and cultural roles far beyond their physical protective functions; yet, these diverse qualities have rarely been scrutinized. This study aims to discover and categorize the functional dimensions of roofs in Iranian urban life by employing qualitative content analysis within a historical-hermeneutic framework. To this end, 23 travelogues from the Qajar era (15 by Iranians and 8 by foreign travelers) were systematically examined. Through thematic coding, roof functions were classified into seven main categories: religious, ritual, economic, everyday life/recreation, defense, social interaction, and mental/observational spaces. Findings reveal that historical roofs served as active arenas for social gatherings and daily life, with “recreation and everyday life” being the dominant function. In contrast, contemporary roofs have largely been reduced to technical infrastructure, neglecting these social capacities. The research highlights the necessity of reviving a comprehensive approach to “roofscapes” and integrating their cultural-social heritage into contemporary architectural and urban policies.

Keywords

Roofscape

Social Life

Cultural Landscape

Travelogue

Qajar Era

Subjects