Contemplation on the role of addressee in the quality of Iranian Contemporary Architecture

Nowadays architects and architecture schools in Iran are pleaded to produce architecture with Iranian and Islamic identity by managers, media and those who care in general. These requisition which sometimes end up in architecture legislations and guidelines have never received any clear response on the side of architects. What most addressees identify as “Iranian” and “Islamic” architecture is nothing to architects but a simplistic imitation of the outer shape of ancient Iranian architecture. This article intends to review the role of addressees in the formation of Iran’s architecture, from Qajar kings who had a desire for European-style monuments to contemporary addressees who call for extravagant buildings. In this regard, comparison of traditional, modern and post modern era has been considered. In Traditional era, not only there was not architectural crisis, but also architectural crisis had no meaning. Crisis started when closed door of traditional society opened to other world which led to eliminate the proportion in society. In traditional era, architect and employer had similar culture, belief and manner; their needs and desires were the same and both of them follow the same life style. As a result, there was no difference between building which produced by architect and needs of addressee. In modern era, architecture was a professional and academic affair which was unreachable by the common people and addressee. As a result, architects were free to produce what they wanted. Architect determined what the addressees needed and the addressees were just undisputed consumer of their projects. In post modern era, there are not just architect who form people's environment, but addresses also want the portion from space design. Participation of addressees in design doesn't mean that they design like an architect, but employer's desire and taste directs the process of design. Halfway through the article, it will be investigated the extent of the knowledge of Iranian addressees from architecture, based on a research conducted accordingly, and will figure that it is limited and immature. Lack of knowledge from architecture causes wane of public taste; in the other word, addressees intend to the cheap architecture which less contain value of identity. Common people who generally – or at least- pass public education, have no regard for the genuine architecture and intimate living space; and sometimes wish foreign and strange architecture. This article consider the solution of contemporary architecture challenge and problem with this point of view that the architects and architecture schools are not sole cause of this crisis and the responsibility of architecture addresses should be investigated in process of creating building. We will conclude that cultural architecture will not be achieved unless in the cultural society that is yearning for pure art and architecture. Creating this yearning is up to media and those in charge of public education, while satisfying it is the job of architects and architecture schools. In the other word for bringing out the Iranian contemporary architecture from this crisis, two educational streams are essential: Educating architect and educating Addressees.