In recent decades, commercial spaces in metropolises such as Tehran have evolved beyond their purely economic roles, becoming environments that enhance users’ spatial experiences through deliberate spatial organization, openness, lighting, and architectural elements. By incorporating purposeful physical components, these spaces enhance the architectural quality of the buildings, fostering meaningful, experience-oriented user engagement. As a result, commercial buildings are no longer perceived merely as destinations for shopping, but as architectural entities of notable spatial and functional quality within the context of contemporary design.
The present study aims to analyze the evolutionary process of physical and functional components in Tehran’s commercial buildings and to identify the key indicators that most significantly influence spatial quality and building performance. The research investigates nine representative case studies spanning the late Pahlavi era (1950s) to the end of the 2010s, employing a combined methodological approach combining comparative and descriptive analysis. This longitudinal perspective enables the study to trace both quantitative and qualitative transformations in architectural design, spatial configuration, and operational efficiency across different historical periods of urban development.
The evaluation criteria were formulated according to theoretical components derived from an extensive review of the literature on spatial and functional quality in commercial architecture. To objectively determine the relative importance of each indicator, the study applied the Shannon Entropy Method, a quantitative technique that measures the degree of information dispersion among variables. This approach minimizes subjectivity in the weighting process and enhances the analytical precision of the comparative assessment among the selected cases.
The findings reveal that within the physical component, indicators such as form and façade articulation, vertical openness (atriums and voids), and architectural ornamentation and detailing play a pivotal role in improving spatial quality and user experience. These attributes contribute to visual coherence, spatial legibility, and the perceptual richness of interior and exterior environments. Moreover, the spatial hierarchy and circulation geometry of the selected cases demonstrate an increasing shift toward more complex and layered configurations in contemporary developments, reflecting broader aesthetic and functional tendencies in the city’s architectural evolution.
In the functional dimension, parameters such as infrastructure systems, parking capacity, and support and service spaces were found to exert the most significant influence on overall spatial efficiency and user satisfaction. These elements facilitate accessibility, comfort, and functional integration within commercial complexes, thereby enhancing the operational performance of the buildings. However, the research also indicates that the structural complexity observed in some contemporary cases—while improving operational capacity—has simultaneously reduced the buildings’ physical and social integration with their urban context. This tension between efficiency and contextual harmony reflects a critical challenge in the design of recent large-scale commercial centers in Tehran.
Ultimately, the study emphasizes the need to adopt a hybrid design approach that integrates physical and functional dimensions in a cohesive, adaptable, and experience-oriented manner. Such an approach is expected to foster not only spatial and functional excellence but also to promote social interactions and collective engagement within urban commercial environments. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of how the evolution of commercial architecture in Tehran mirrors broader socio-economic and morphological transformations of the city. They also offer design-oriented insights for architects and planners seeking to enhance the spatial quality, performance, and public character of future commercial spaces.