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Makani V, Einifar A. (2026). The Factors Influencing the Cognition of Mass-Space Configuration in Residential Complexes (Case Study: Shahid Beheshti Residential Complex, Sari). CIAUJ. 11(1), 257-284. doi:10.61882/ciauj.11.1.674
URL: http://ciauj-tabriziau.ir/article-1-674-en.html

Cognition of configuration, as one of the most advanced mental processes in humans, is a complex and multidimensional activity. The formation of this process in environments where spatial understanding requires movement and interaction with surroundings raises issues that are both challenging and thought-provoking. The aim of this study is to explain which factors influence the cognition of configuration in residential complexes. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach within the framework of critical realism, and the study population consists of the residents of the Shahid Beheshti residential complex in Sari. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of configuration, the selected complex was analyzed at both the macro and micro scales and across three levels: “individual places,” “pairs of places,” and “adjacent spaces of each place.” The sampling method was theoretical, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, cognitive maps, and sketch maps, then analyzed using open and axial coding techniques. The findings revealed that cognition of spatial configuration, at both macro and micro scales, is based on three fundamental dimensions: environmental, human, and temporal. During the research, after identifying the components of each dimension and constructing a matrix of bidirectional relationships between environmental factors and configurational elements, the results from the three levels were presented in a conceptual model. Ultimately, the study concludes that in the open spaces of residential complexes, while environmental dimensions play a dominant role in recognizing the configuration of mass and space, a precise and stable mental image is achieved only when the environmental, human, and temporal dimensions interact in an integrative and synergistic manner.