Does our architecture need to be thought about?

Today, the face of Iran’s major cities shows the severe disarray of the architectural profession. This disarray is reflected in all aspects of this profession, including design, education, research, and press work, and is mutually affected by them. The problems in this profession are due to various factors that we will discuss in detail below.
Design and its challenges
In the field of design, architects face problems such as financial constraints, lack of resources, and time pressures that lead to a decrease in the quality of design. Many projects cannot fully benefit from the creativity and abilities of architects due to the lack of appropriate and transparent rules and regulations. These problems cause the final result of the projects to be less than expected and fail to meet the needs and demands of society well.
Architectural education
There are also many problems in the field of architectural education. Regarding architectural education, “Hojjat” writes: “If we consider architecture to have two areas: “concepts” and “examples,” then we will find the basic courses in the area of ​​concepts. In this area, a specific form, method, and style of architecture will not be taught, but rather the concepts that generate architecture will be taught, and the student will become familiar with its truth and essence before encountering the various faces and interpretations of architecture. This point is especially important in today’s conditions, when there is a proliferation of opinions and ideas and there is no single, valid, and acceptable interpretation of architecture.” (2004: 30) However, in Iranian architecture schools, insufficient attention is paid to the fundamental concepts of architecture, and professors and students focus more on examples and design exercises. This lack of attention to fundamental concepts results in the training of architects who do not have the critical thinking and creativity necessary to face the real challenges of the profession.
Architectural Research
Architectural research is also an area that needs more attention. Architectural research can help improve the quality of design, find new solutions to existing problems, and increase our knowledge and understanding of architecture. However, many studies cannot reach their full potential due to lack of financial resources, lack of adequate support, and structural problems.

Press and Publications
Architects also face numerous challenges in the field of press and publication. Architectural publications and media play an important role in informing, educating, and exchanging ideas. However, in Iran, many architectural publications face problems such as lack of financial resources, censorship, and other restrictions that can lead to a decrease in their quality and impact.

Economic Issues and Their Impact on Architecture
Economic issues related to the architectural profession are also one of the main factors of unrest. Due to unfavorable economic conditions, many architects are forced to accept projects with low budgets and limited time frames, which can lead to a decrease in the quality of their work. In addition, unfavorable economic conditions can lead to a decrease in the number of architectural projects and a decrease in job opportunities for architects.
Design and Implementation-Related Rules and Regulations
The inadequacy of the rules and regulations governing design and implementation is also one of the main problems of the architectural profession in Iran. Many of the rules and regulations related to architecture are old and ineffective and cannot adequately cover the new needs and challenges facing architects. These issues can lead to numerous problems in the design and implementation process of architectural projects and affect their final quality.
External Threats and Their Impact on Architecture
Although a large part of the problems affecting the architectural community are imposed on it in the form of threats from outside the complex, in any case, part of the problem of Iranian architecture can be solved within its professional and educational environment. Many of these external threats include economic, social, and political changes that can lead to unfavorable conditions for the architectural profession. However, with internal reforms and efforts to improve the conditions, some of these problems can be solved and help improve the state of architecture in Iran.
Architects’ distancing from society and the public sphere
It seems that the Iranian architectural and urban planning community has distanced itself from society and the public sphere in this time of crisis. This type of professional behavior is actually a reaction to the global democratization of art and architecture in general and its sad situation in contemporary Iran in particular. Many architects, due to the problems in their profession, have distanced themselves from society and turned more to individual and private activities. This issue can lead to a decrease in the connection between architects and society, and as a result, a decrease in the impact of architecture on people’s lives.
Conclusion
The architectural profession in Iran needs more attention and support. Given the challenges and problems that exist, more efforts should be made to improve the situation and resolve the problems. This includes reforms in the education system, support for architectural research, improvement of rules and regulations related to design and implementation, and efforts to increase communication between architects and society. With these efforts, we can hope that the situation of architecture in Iran will improve and we will witness higher quality and more impactful architectural projects.