The dominant perception of school is a set of classrooms. There is a lack of enough consideration to schoolyards for the role of outdoor learning and education. Many of researches and case studies have done on this approach. In Iran unfortunately, there is no good study about this topic. In this approach the discipline of landscape architecture with it’s emphasize on outdoor open spaces, efforts to improve the quality of schoolyards. This field is set up base on three main criteria including social, ecological and visual in urban open spaces. One of the important open spaces in cities is schoolyard. In some countries, schoolyards are as urban open spaces with free accessibility. Statements such as "school without wall" and "social school" are the samples of this approach. These concepts have not implemented yet because of the nature of primitive students behavior and their needs for playing and movements. The main question of this research is "what landscape architecture approaches exist about the design of schoolyards? " The main goal of this research is a review of literature about landscape architecture approaches dealing with the design of open schoolyards. Synthesis of principles for designing of these spaces is another important goal of this study.In order to achieve this aim in the first step of all the papers and researches considering this topic have investigated. Then these approaches have been categorized to twelve main categories. These approaches are as following: Design and management of outdoor classrooms landscape, importance of Qualitative Criteria’s such as sense of place, security and safety, Sustainable Design of Schoolyards, Comprehensive Schoolyards plan, hidden Curriculum in the School Grounds, Learning through Playing, School Grounds samples, Maintenance and Management of Natural and Built Landscapes, Children Participation, Comprehensive Landscape Design, Role of Landscape Architects in providing Educational Facilities and finally Design Guidelines and Principles in special area. Above findings, explain different aspects of schoolyards design.Managing, planning, controlling and maintaining are the four aspects related to schoolyards design. Some of the approaches are strongly applicable in Iranian conditions such as sense of place and security and some other are inapplicable.The first part of the paper includes the literature review. The second part the approaches and theories related to schoolyard landscape design are categorizes to twelve categories. Finally, the conclusion will be presented. Expansion of each approaches and trends in relation to the landscape architecture of schoolyards is the next step in this process. Beside these items, designing of cases in Iran in relation to the approaches mentioned and principles is another important step for achieving the above aim.

The courtyard has a special place in the spatial structure of traditional Iranian architecture and in addition to climatic and geographical applications, it has also been important from the point of view of architectural and functional design. The suitable landscape for the surrounding spaces has overshadowed the quality of their access as well as the type and extent of their use by users. This essential member of Iranian schools has been removed from the spatial physical structure of many schools due to the lack of land and due to the density of buildings, or its location has been changed, and its role in changing the functional function of the building is ignored. This has pushed the purpose of the current research to investigate the role of the courtyard on the functional efficiency of schools, on this basis, factors such as the type of geometry of the courtyard in the configuration of the building, and its location were considered as indicators in the current research, and therefore, in general, the research method It will be quantitative and qualitative and four schools with traditional, contemporary and modern designs were selected as case examples and the analyzes related to measuring functional efficiency were carried out on them using two methods of drawing graphs and using Depthmap software. Finally, the results of the research show The existence of a courtyard with a central pattern and with a rectangular or square geometry creates the greatest amount of functional efficiency, flexibility, integrity, and also the ability to access the spaces in schools.  , Keywords: Functional Efficiency, School, Space Syntax, Spatial Arrangement, Yard.  , Introduction  , The courtyard is one of the main elements in schools, which has long played an important role in social and religious functions. The courtyard element has a special place in the spatial structure of the school, and in addition to climatic applications, it has also been very important from a functional point of view, meaning that in the construction of a school, in cases where the intention of building a school with a courtyard was in the mind of the builders, at first the courtyard was located with a completely regular shape in the configuration of the building, and then other elements such as cells, porches, etc. were erected around it. (Aminzadeh, 2008). The central courtyard is considered to be a sign of Muslims' feelings towards the space, especially the spiritual space, and later it reached its peak in the Islamic architectural culture in terms of functionality and symbolism. It is obvious that centrality in Islam is a symbol of unity and the basis It is a reflection of the quality in which unity is hidden (Jaafari et al., 2015). Taking this into account, it seems that the central courtyard was considered not only in the geometrical and spatial structure of the school building but also as a unifying factor and a place for presence. People's interaction is also considered an urban space and this confirms its social and cultural importance (Heydari and others, 2015). This means that when a space is placed in a specific configuration in such a way that the amount of penetration of unrelated activities in it is reduced and the possibility of providing services to adjacent spaces is increased, it can be better used by users, and in such a case, the space is efficient. It is considered to have a higher functional efficiency (2013: Mostafa &,Hassan). This is despite the fact that in today's schools, due to the density of buildings and the problems related to land, in many schools, the yard has been removed from the body of space or its location has been changed in terms of configuration. This means that in the construction of the school, what remains after the construction of the building is used under the title of the courtyard (Heidari et al., 2015). Therefore, it is obvious that in such a situation, the courtyard no longer has its unifying nature and has become only a place for passing. Accordingly, the present research, while analyzing the courtyard in the past and contemporary architecture of schools, analyzes its role in the functional efficiency of the building. According to indicators such as its position in the configuration of the space as well as having a regular or irregular geometry, it analyzes this importance. With this explanation, the research questions can be examined in the form of the following: As one of the main elements in the configuration of schools, how can the courtyard affect the improvement of its functional efficiency? Considering the necessity of the courtyard in improving the functional efficiency of schools, what is the most suitable geometrical structure of the courtyard? How is the proper location of the yard in order to improve the functional efficiency of schools?  , Research Methodology As mentioned in the introduction section, the main purpose of the current research is to analyze and investigate the role of Hayat in improving the functional efficiency of traditional and contemporary schools in Iran. For this purpose, two variables "location" and "geometric design or yard position" were introduced in the spatial system of the school as an independent variable and the functional efficiency of the yard as a dependent variable. Therefore, first of all, a set of indicators should be extracted that affect the level of operational efficiency of an environment, especially educational environments,Therefore, in the first stage of this research, after stating different definitions of this concept, the set of factors that influence its promotion were introduced. This finally led to the extraction of the theoretical framework in which indicators were introduced, therefore, in order to examine the indicators in this regard, they were extracted from the analysis of the graphs related to each of the case samples. The indices of "connection" and "connection", "depth", "the degree of concavity and convexity of space" and "axial space" can be extracted using Depthmap software. Syntax of space is a theory and a tool for analysis in architecture and urban planning. With this description, The research method in the current study is descriptive-analytical as well as logical reasoning using comparative analogy, in this regard, two quantitative and qualitative strategies are used in order to extract and analyze the findings. The method of collecting information has also been done in the form of library studies and field observations.  , Conclusion The main goal of the current research is to investigate the role of the yard in improving the functional efficiency of schools. The findings showed that in the conditions where traditional schools had a central courtyard pattern with surrounding cells, it had created greater permeability to the school space and increased spatial integration, control and connection. This provided the grounds for more use of the yard as one of the main spaces of the school, as well as the possibility of spatial planning in the form of a hierarchical system, a connection with the context of the neighborhood, which would also be effective in promoting urban interactions and increase the quality of interactions and make the school from a purely educational space to the center of social developments, while in contemporary and modern schools, reducing the connection with the city and the neighborhood, reducing the connection between open and closed space, reducing the importance and elimination of semi-open space, reducing the importance of open space and organizing open space and The organization of the interior space centered on the corridor, as well as their buildings, are gradually more extroverted and more visually connected with the body of the street, but in terms of social interactions, they are separate from the residents of the neighborhood, and it is a sign of the reduction of the social role of schools. The spatial integration between the yard and the school space was severely reduced and the physical and (sometimes visual) access of the spaces to the yard was completely limited. In the end, it is important to mention that the current research does not claim that the central courtyard type in traditional schools always creates the best values ​​in relation to functional efficiency indicators such as connection, connection and depth, etc. pointed out From the values ​​obtained from these indicators, it has been proven that traditional schools with a central courtyard are in a better condition from the point of view of functional efficiency indicators than schools where the courtyard is located on one side and the body of space on the other side.  ,

The purpose of this research is to study the structure of open spaces and its interaction with opposing clear walls in the historical houses of Ardabil. Hence, the courtyard is investigated as an open space that is in relation with the facade and the main living spaces of the structure to provide suitable daylight, and on the other hand, as a basic element in terms of sustainability, as well as it’ s opposing clear facade and walls. The paper answers two questions: First, what is the nature of the structure governing the courtyard and it’ s opposing clear walls in the historic houses of Ardabil? Second, how is the relationship between the yard and clear walls in these buildings? To deploy this research, a descriptive and comparative method has been used, focusing on the climatic and environmental role of the courtyard and the light transmitting walls, and by selecting twelve case studies from historical houses in the city of Ardabil located in the cold climatic zone of Iran, which all belong to the Qajar period. For this purpose, orientation, formal analysis, courtyard proportions (length to width), mean depth (length to height), viewing angle, height pattern, closed to open space ratio, facade and clear surfaces area, shadow and sunlight percentage in the courtyard, sky view angle and the sky mask percentage are examined and analyzed. The analysis method is formal and tools for collecting information include written sources, documents, maps, sketches and field observations, and drawing graphs and analytical charts. Also for daylight analysis, the Ladybug plugin coded in the Python programming language and implemented in the Grasshopper plugin running by the Rhino software is used. Weather data for each city are input to the software, and shown interactively and graphically in the Grasshopper environment using light and energy related analysis software such as Ecotect, EnergyPlus, Dysim and Radiance, all connected to the plugin simultaneously. The results of the research indicate that a square courtyard with approximately equal length and width and moderate depth of about four, creates sufficient light in the depth of the surrounding area according to different positioning patterns of the building. Due to the size of the windows and their shape and location on the facade and its relationship with the courtyard, proper sky mask is produced in most spaces, which increases the amount of visible sky and thus the amount of day light. The results of shade amount throughout the year in the courtyard indicate that in the warm seasons proper shade is created in the courtyard, and with the provision of proper daylight using colorful and patterned windows, favorable air flow and atmosphere is provided for the residents in the rooms and courtyard. Although in cold seasons, shading is more than warm seasons due to compact housing in a cold climate, and low angle shining, which is partly compensated by lowering the yard ground and utilizing heat from the earth. However, this lowers the space value of the yard due to the cold weather in these seasons, and only serves as a source of light bringing the sun's heat to the depths of room space and warming them up. These values and the principles governing the design of traditional Ardebil houses are capable of continuing in designing modern spaces in the area, and their optimal use in design can be efficient and create a deeper connection with nature and thus more sustainability of the buildings. In order to reach a general conclusion on the recognition of form and patterns of the traditional cold-climate houses of Iran, it is needed to identify the remaining past buildings in other areas and cities of this region, so that the results of this research could be generalized to all the cities of the cold climate of Iran.

Current educational system in Iran is intended to be taken place in an inner space, namely classroom. However, the architectural pattern of Iranian traditional schools indicates both interior and exterior space taking part in spatial organization of teaching and learning. It appears that the present educational system, which, at implementing level, is confined to an inner space, neglects the functional potential of the central courtyard in traditional schools, on one hand, and lacks the constructive and supportive aspects of modern learning environment, on the other. Moreover, in modern schools a progressive attitudes towards the pupils' Education has led to the appearance of an active learning environment, which facilitates their experience, observation and interaction. These objectives can further be achieved through the architectural pattern presented by Iranian traditional schools, such as the school of Chahar Bagh in Isfahan. The court in these schools plays a significant role in providing an active and interactive learning environment

Limitations of metropolitan cities encourage developing residential complexes instead of small houses and on the other hand, neglecting the importance of the private yard in the contemporary architecture. In addition of providing accessibility to the sun light and natural ventilation, Open space affords an opportunity of direct connection to nature and creates a place for social interaction. According to the limited size of dwelling units, and based on the history of Iranian life relayed on the private yard; Open space provides an opportunity to develop and connect the internal activities to the exterior open space.Investigating contemporary open space is a base of successful design of residential open scape in a future.The aim of this research is exploring and making the typology of residential open space in order to increase concentration to the space between building and notice architects to design interior and exterior place simultaneously. Hence all residential complexes in the eight districts in the north of Tehran, allocated more than 65% of the site to the open space, were detected by satellite image and then were investigated by field survey. At the last stage, according to the block’s height, complexes’ scale and the style of open and close space arrangement, the dimensions of typology were molded.Result shows in Tehran designing open space does not have the priority in the design process, and main considerations are drawn toward interior space. In some cases open space is as a negative space between buildings. Due to existing intensive municipality law, designers have faced a lot of limitations to arrange residential blocks in the site.Therefore, creating a variety of open spaces and committing to the traditional courtyard are impossible.Analytical results indicate that tree dominant types of arrangement are free standing, linear and centralized blocks. Free standing blocks are the common type in the Tehran macro scale residential complexes. This type allows designers to create different space quality, for instance, hierarchy of private and public space. Linear arrangement is a conservative method founded on the existing context of the city. The paper concludes with some suggestions for the future researchers to create guidelines in order to increase the quality of residential open space.

Mosque is one of the most important Muslims buildings and one of the best expressions of Islamic community (Ummah). In spite of considerable architectural history of the mosque in Islam and Iran, it seems that there are significant questions about the ideal mosque in Islam. For example «open space» (or courtyard), regarding its undeniable importance according to Islamic tradition (Sirrah & Sunnah) and architectural history of the mosque, has being weakened. The open space in mosque which not only improves the quality of architecture but also worshiping within has a special significance. Neglecting this importance has led to gradually reducing or even eliminating the open space in the mosques. In this regard, a combined style was choose to examine the originality of open space, using historical interpretation and content analysis methods about the main references of Islam (the Quran, Hadith and life of Prophet (PBUH)). Therefore, the original mosques of centers of Islamic territory from the beginning of Islam to the sixteenth century and also mosques without open space were reviewed. Then Masjid an-Nabawi considering the approach of the Prophet (PBUH) about its architecture and Masjid al-haram were added to the analysis.Despite of common categorizing of mosques based on closed spaces, the masjid An-Nabawi which had been built by supervising of the last Prophet (PBUH) hadn’t any closed space. Considering the hard climatic requirements, available roof construction technics and user requests (based on historical texts), prophet›s decision to not making a hard roof is a major reason of priority of open space in mosque. Masjid al-haram as an ancient religious Islamic site and one of the most symbolic aspects of Islam has always been in open space and even hadn’t had roof itself during thousands years.There are also many prayers and Islamic rites which should be - or is better to - done under sky, especially not personal ones like Hajj, Fitr Salah, Qorban Salah. This could be remarked as a presentation of public aspect of worship in Islam in contrary of the isolation in some other religions (e.g. Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism). It is more impressive by attention to mosque›s major function: daily congregational prayer (Salaat Al-Jamaah). Also there is some Islamic advises about not making roofed mosque. The important point about these sentences is removing any obligation about building mosques with or without roof which could cause many difficulties. But it doesn’t mean there is a neutral viewpoint. Advises is showing the priority of open space to closed spaces.Regarding the pattern of masjid An-Nabawi, open space is always noticeable part of architectural history of mosque, especially in major mosques of main centers of Islamic territory during more than fourteen hundreds years. It could be more significant by attention to their various climatic, cultural, architectural, historical, technical differences in a vast geography and long time period. It could be led us to re-categorize mosques not only based on closed space but also caring open space changes. There are also many evidences showing mosque yards as a place for saying prayer and worship.The most opposite point of the importance of open space in mosques are some mosques without open space. These mosques which are totally closed space might be referenced as contravention to open space based mosques. In analyzing these samples two points must be considered: first is the flexibility of Islamic sentences especially in form design and Islamic accommodation with local properties. Second is capacity of these mosques to be referenced via masjid An-Nabawi. However by studding about these samples we could categorizing them in three: first are very little mosques which usually are consist of one or two rooms and direct access from outdoor in which preparing open space isn’t possible. These are neighborhood chapels that could be developing into mosques in future. Second are large mosques that are transformed from churches or other religion›s temples e.g. Hagia Sophia & Al-Aghsa. These types usually conserve their structural and architectural specifications but there are examples which open space had been attached to them e.g. Yazd-Khast and Jame-Neireez. Third are special ones which had been built for specific purposes or particular condition such as Sheikh-Lotf-Allah mosque. These ones couldn’t be referenced as major movement in mosque design.By analyzing these evidences, it is obvious that open space shouldn’t be neglected or reduced to a division junction and light-supplying space. It is a heritage and beyond; one of the major parts of mosque. Imagining the closed space as main space of worships in mosque can cause many problems such as costly construction, time consuming build programs, circulation and space access difficulties, ventilation and light-gaining challenges and isolation effects on users.As result, the collected evidences show not only open space in the mosque is a section or basic part of mosque, but also open space has originality in the mosque design and the worship within is a forgotten aspect of this fundamental part.

As a community center, schools play an important and fundamental role in the formation of the personality of the society and social behaviors. Throughout the history of Iran, schools have undergone many changes. One of these historical changes that led to the formation of modern schools happened during the Qajar period, which had different reasons, such as the relations of the Qajar rulers with the West. Therefore, there has been a transitional period in the Qajar school, which takes place in two stages, ancient and contemporary. Human social behavior is formed in environments, one of the most basic of which is school and learning environments. One of the most important spaces in schools that is effective in social communication between students is the school yard. The purpose of this research is to investigate the position of the courtyard in a number of ancient and contemporary schools of Isfahan in the Qajar period in terms of social stability and to investigate the factors that have been influential in the emergence of this social stability. The present study was carried out by descriptive-analytical method and case study and library and field studies. Six schools have been selected as case samples, three samples are related to the ancient period and three samples are related to the contemporary period. According to the investigations carried out in this research, it was found that the yard can be used with features such as: flexibility, use of green spaces and water, creating space for pause and movement, creating lighting in the space, multi-functionality, Increasing the quality of spaces, respecting human standards, creating safety, creating cozy spaces, etc., should be a socially sustainable space in schools, and from old to new schools, the newer the buildings, the less spaces dedicated to social sustainability.