Metaphoric and Analogical Reasoning of Structures in Contemporary Architecture of Iran

Structural and design concepts are two important parameters of building design process. Structural ideas transform solutions to general structural problems and range from guiding structural forces to defining visual factors. One way to make observable and tangible structural and design concepts more practical and recognizable for architects, is using popular analogies and metaphors. As such, metaphor and analogy constitute two vital cognitive tools associated with the development of concepts for architects at various stages of the design process. The main goal of this study is identifying metaphors and analogies that have paved the way for expressing structures in architects’ conceptual thinking. Within the realm of architectural practice, this study is among the few instances that tend to compare analogy with metaphor simultaneously. Considering both metaphor and analogy in one research would help researchers to examine the ones that practicing architects prefer more, and the ones they use in various stages of their design process. Also, the study only focuses on the Iranian contemporary architecture, and more specifically, on the Iranian architects with over 10 years of professional practice. The research methodology involved contacting and conducting interviews with architects about their design processes and design products. With a structural focus in mind, the data obtained from these interviews were then analyzed, coded, and categorized (by using inductive reasoning). The review and analysis of the selected projects by each architect resulted in subsequent coding (through abductive reasoning). Conducting the interviews and data analysis based on the architects’ projects resulted in comparing the tentative codes and categories, and conceptualizing and modeling a framework. Keywords: design process, metaphor, analogy, structure, Iranian architecture