Linking Ideology, Habitus and Landscape: Traditional and Contemporary Uses of Gardens and Parks in Iran

E-ISSN： 1746-0727|10|2|64-82

ISSN： 1746-0719

Source： Anthropology of the Middle East, Vol.10, Iss.2, 2015-12, pp. : 64-82

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Abstract

For centuries, nature has played significant roles in the Persianate world.Across generations and beyond national borders, Persian gardens and parks havecarried traces of narratives, beliefs and attitudes of those who designed, builtand used them. This article explores Persian garden history and philosophy,and the emergence of urban parks in Iran. It examines the evolution of culturalattitudes and their reflections in contemporary meanings, layout and use of parks.Landscape narratives both influence and are shaped by shifting cultural valuesand needs. Urbanisation – and the necessity for urban dwellers to experience‘nature’ in new environments, sociocultural factors and habitus transformationcontribute to the diminution of the role of ‘traditional’ narratives in contemporarydesign. Nevertheless, the importance of spaces of stillness in landscape design,inherited from Persian garden ideology, influences recreational behaviour in Iran’scontemporary urban parks.