Iranian melodrama cinema, particularly during the 1980s, functioned as one of the most important cultural platforms for representing emotional experiences, family relationships, collective memory, and the everyday lifeworld of Iranian society. Following the sociocultural transformations of the late twentieth century, melodrama emerged not only as a cinematic genre focused on emotional intensity and domestic narratives, but also as a spatial medium through which concepts such as belonging, nostalgia, identity, and interpersonal relations were materially and symbolically expressed. Despite the broad range of studies conducted on Iranian melodrama, most existing research has concentrated primarily on narrative structures, thematic dimensions, ideological interpretations, and character development. Consequently, the role of spatial organization and place-related qualities in shaping cinematic meaning and audience perception has remained comparatively underexplored. In particular, insufficient attention has been devoted to the ways spatial arrangements and environmental characteristics contribute to emotional atmosphere and perceptual engagement in melodramatic cinema. The present study addresses this gap by proposing an architecture-oriented analytical framework for examining the components of sense of place in Iranian melodrama cinema. Drawing upon interdisciplinary perspectives from architecture, environmental psychology, phenomenology of place, and film studies, the research investigates how cinematic space operates not merely as a passive setting for narrative events, but rather as an active element in the organization of perception, emotional communication, and dramatic experience. In this respect, the study seeks to establish a conceptual relationship between architectural space and cinematic mise-en-scène in order to provide a systematic understanding of the interaction between spatial configuration and melodramatic narration. The theoretical basis of the research is grounded in concepts related to sense of place within architectural and environmental perception theories. Sense of place is understood as a multidimensional phenomenon resulting from the interaction between human experience and spatial environment. Based on a review of relevant literature, three principal components of sense of place are identified and employed as the conceptual foundation of the study: physical form, meaning, and activity. The physical dimension refers to the material and spatial characteristics of the environment, including architectural configuration, spatial hierarchy, light, texture, and the arrangement of built elements. The dimension of meaning concerns symbolic associations, emotional values, memory, and cultural significance attributed to place. The activity dimension addresses patterns of movement, human interaction, and social relations occurring within space. Together, these components form an integrated conceptual model through which cinematic environments can be interpreted as experiential and perceptual systems. To operationalize this framework within cinema, the study introduces a series of sensory–spatial orientation principles derived from architectural theories of environmental cognition and spatial perception. These principles include spatial layout, place-setting, and topological relations. Spatial layout refers to the sequencing and organization of spaces within the cinematic frame and the ways visual composition guides movement and perception. Place-setting concerns the establishment of environmental identity and the stabilization of spatial atmosphere through recurring architectural and visual elements. Topological relations refer to continuity, hierarchy, adjacency, and connectivity between spaces that structure the viewer’s understanding of cinematic geography. Through the integration of these principles with the components of sense of place, the study develops an analytical model capable of examining how cinematic space generates emotional resonance and perceptual orientation. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach based on interpretive case study analysis. Initially, a preliminary survey of prominent Iranian melodrama films produced during the 1980s was conducted in order to identify works characterized by strong spatial organization, architectural coherence, and emotional emphasis on domestic environments. Following this review, Mother (Madar), directed by Ali Hatami, was selected as the final case study according to spatial, narrative, and architectural criteria through a cluster sampling approach. The film was considered especially appropriate for the purposes of the study because of its concentrated use of domestic space, symbolic architectural elements, and spatially structured emotional interactions. Ali Hatami’s Mother occupies a distinctive position within Iranian cinema due to its emphasis on spatial atmosphere, architectural identity, and cultural memory. The film revolves around the gathering of family members in the maternal house during the mother’s final days, transforming the house into the central spatial and emotional axis of the narrative. Rather than functioning solely as a narrative setting, the house becomes an experiential environment in which memory, kinship, conflict, reconciliation, and belonging are continuously negotiated. Through carefully composed mise-en-scène, spatial sequencing, and architectural detailing, the film constructs a perceptual structure that significantly shapes the viewer’s emotional engagement. The analysis of selected scenes demonstrates that space in Mother performs an active narrative and perceptual role. The architectural organization of the house, including its courtyards, corridors, thresholds, rooms, and transitional spaces, establishes a spatial hierarchy that reflects the emotional dynamics of the characters. Enclosed interior spaces frequently correspond to moments of intimacy, emotional confrontation, and remembrance, while transitional zones such as corridors and doorways mediate movement between separation and reunion. The repeated emphasis on the central courtyard reinforces the symbolic and spatial centrality of the family home as a locus of collective memory and emotional attachment. The findings further reveal that the interaction between the components of sense of place and sensory–spatial orientation principles contributes significantly to the formation of melodramatic atmosphere. Through the arrangement of framing, spatial depth, and movement, the film directs the viewer’s attention toward emotional tensions embedded within the environment itself. Architectural elements are not treated merely as decorative visual details; instead, they function as carriers of memory, identity, and emotional meaning. The continuity of traditional domestic architecture throughout the film strengthens the perception of rootedness and cultural continuity. The study also indicates that patterns of movement and pause by the characters play a major role in constructing spatial meaning. Moments of stillness within enclosed spaces intensify emotional reflection and interpersonal tension, whereas movement across spatial zones reinforces narrative transition and relational dynamics. These spatial behaviors contribute to the emergence of a perceptual system through which the audience experiences the house not simply as a physical structure, but as a lived and emotionally charged environment. In this sense, the cinematic space of Mother generates a strong feeling of belonging and spatial embeddedness extending beyond the narrative framework itself. Another important finding concerns the relationship between cinematic space and temporal perception. The architectural continuity of the house and the repetition of spatial motifs create a temporal layering that connects memory with present emotional experience. Space therefore becomes a medium for preserving and reactivating memory. This temporal dimension reinforces the melodramatic quality of the film by linking emotional experience to the persistence of place. The audience’s engagement with the house is consequently not only narrative or visual, but also phenomenological. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the sense of place in Mother is constructed through the simultaneous interaction of physical, symbolic, and behavioral dimensions. Architectural form alone does not generate emotional meaning; rather, meaning emerges through the relationship between built environment, social interaction, memory, and narrative rhythm. The spatial organization of the film enables viewers to perceive relationships between characters through architectural proximity, visibility, separation, and movement. Accordingly, space functions as an interpretive structure shaping audience understanding of familial relations and emotional conflict. From a broader perspective, the research argues that Iranian melodrama cinema of the 1980s can be reconsidered through a spatial and architectural lens. While earlier studies have largely emphasized ideological, sociological, or narrative dimensions, the present study highlights the importance of environmental perception and spatial experience in cinematic interpretation. The proposed analytical framework demonstrates that architectural concepts such as place identity, spatial hierarchy, enclosure, orientation, and environmental meaning can provide effective interpretive tools for cinematic analysis. The significance of this research lies not only in its contribution to film studies, but also in its interdisciplinary integration of architecture and cinema. By employing architectural theories as analytical tools for cinematic interpretation, the study expands the methodological possibilities of both disciplines. The proposed framework may be applied to the analysis of other melodramatic films and potentially to broader genres of Iranian cinema in which space performs a substantial perceptual and narrative role. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that cinematic space in Ali Hatami’s Mother is not a neutral or secondary element subordinate to narrative progression. Rather, space functions as an active emotional and perceptual structure through which melodramatic experience is intensified and organized. The integration of sense of place components with sensory–spatial orientation principles reveals the complex interaction between architecture, movement, memory, and narrative within cinematic representation. Through this architecture-oriented reading, the study provides a systematic framework for analyzing melodrama cinema from the perspective of spatial perception and environmental meaning. Ultimately, the research suggests that understanding cinematic space as an experiential and place-based phenomenon can deepen scholarly interpretations of Iranian cinema and open new directions for interdisciplinary studies between architecture, environmental perception, and film studies.