مقایسه ادراکات حسی در طراحی معاصر میدان‌های امام خمینی و بهارستان تهران

The perception of historic urban squares is not limited to visual and physical qualities but emerges through interactions among the body, the senses, environmental elements, and contextual conditions. This qualitative comparative study examines olfactory, auditory, and tactile perception in Baharestan and Imam Khomeini Squares in Tehran using spring field observations, exploratory conversations, sensory maps, and secondary quantification of those maps. The olfactory intensity index was 2.62 in Baharestan and 2.25 in Imam Khomeini Square; the auditory indices were 2.51 and 2.37, and the tactile indices were 2.40 and 2.16. Baharestan showed a clearer relative advantage in olfactory perception, a more limited auditory advantage, and a localized rather than pervasive tactile advantage. Its greater continuity among water, vegetation, movement routes, and stopping areas increased the concentration of some natural stimuli, although pollution, accessibility problems, and reduced nighttime activity remained important limitations. In Imam Khomeini Square, natural stimuli were more spatially localized, while spatial legibility, historic identity, and the capacity for collective presence offered opportunities for improvement. Multisensory design should address spatial continuity, operation, accessibility, sensory conflicts, and temporal variability in addition to the mere presence of natural elements.