Re-Thinking of the Concept of Dwell in Architecture

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Abstract

The general concept of 'Dwell' or the existence of human on earth accompanying a suitable environment has various architectural responses in the traditional and modern thought. However, the recognition of quiddity of dwell and its specific meaning 'calmness' is still a theoretical challenge in human relation and environment. In this essay, nature and dwell of self with regard to the world of sense and its belonging to the imagination world will be rethought from Islamic wisdom perspective. This rethinking or preliminary discourse plan about dwelling follows two main purposes: First, discovering the nature of what is called dwelling and settlement. The second is the recognition and retrieval of forgotten world of imagination in architecture and the grounds of human imaginary dwelling on earth. By applying an analytical approach and morphophonemic, this research attempts to demonstrate that self with the interstitial or imaginary nature-a place between two separated things which has the characteristics of both sides-dwell in a world of self (imaginary world). In fact, this world like self and imagination is an internal and social world of couples for periodic reminders of the Adam and Eve primary dwelling in celestial world of self. Despite of some commonalities, this environment does not correspond with symbolic construction of heaven on earth. In other words, the main purpose of constructing this environment is the representation of world of self for care and protection of the quadripartite of couple, word, imagination and dwell of humanbeing. From this perspective, the dwell of self will be achieved with a balance and unity of concepts and opposed but similar dual phenomena in the human world, nature, and architecture.

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