Architecture and Urban Planning

Centre for Documents and Research

Initiated in 1981 and approved by the Ministry of Science two years later, The Centre for Documents and Research aiming to help researchers in architecture, urbanism and arts, as well as conducting fundamental and applied research, collaborating with research and operational institutions, and contributing in the Faculty’s teaching and research programmes.

  1. Documents Section:

This section organises documents prepared by students and faculty members. The outcomes of over 50 years of research are, therefore, archived, and expanding. It is arguably one of the richest of its kind nationally. The archive material is organised under three categories: monographies, drawings and audio-visual material, as detailed below:

  1. Monographies:                                         9723 titles
  2. Drawings:                                                   
    1. Buildings                                            14500 sheets, 3500 titles
    2. Maps and aerial photographs:  550 sheets, ca. 250 titles
  3. Audio-visual material:
    1. Slides:                                                 55000, more than 1200 titles
    2. Photographs:                                   24000, more than 1100 titles
    3. Films and CDs:                                 110, ca. 1100 titles
  1. Research Section:

This section uses the above material in fundamental and applied research in architecture and urbanism in Iran. These are supervised by faculty members, with the outcomes either published or kept in the Centre. Most important is ‘Ganj Nameh’, an encyclopaedia of Iranian historic architecture in 21 volumes, of which 16 is published so far. The collection includes an introduction to each building, its history, detailed information, accompanied by accurate drawings and informative photographs, all in all the most important reference today for the studies Iran’s Islamic architecture.

The Reopening of the Centre for Documents and Research

The 2021 reopening followed a two-year programme of relocation and extension of the Centre. The centre is open to public on even weekdays. Bookings are necessary through the Centre’s email  aarc@sbu.ac.ir citing a list of requested documents, research topic, and the applicant’s time and day of visit. A confirmation is then sent to applicants clearing their access.