Phenomenology of Perception as a Qualitative Methodology to Study Contemporary Architecture

The studies on contemporary architecture based on the scientific or positivist methods are mostly expanded on measurable quantitative, not able to achieve the qualitative dimensions and hidden meanings of phenomena in perception of space. The studied phenomena in this field are based on the user experience about the space and creation of its memories in his/her mind that are seen in many architectural studies. So, it is important to replace a new alternative method with the old positivistic approaches in architectural studies. One of the alternatives in this field is phenomenological research method. The present qualitative research, by descriptive-analytical method, attempted first to explain the phenomenological research methodology and then determine the nature of this method, different types of it, and its applications for study the perception of space in contemporary architecture. Later, the first-person, existential and hermeneutic methods of phenomenology were explained. Finally, the results of discussion showed that phenomenological research methods study the true essence of the things and follow inter subjectivity support of the studied phenomenon and this leads to the deep understanding of some phenomena such as perception of space.