Introduction: Mashhad, as the spiritual capital of Iran and a pivotal center of Islamic civilization, has undergone rapid and profound physical transformations in recent decades. The urban landscape of Mashhad, which once reflected indigenous cultural and identity values, is now witnessing the increasing dominance of the architectural style known as the “Roman Facade”. This phenomenon, characterized by the eclectic application of ancient Greek and Roman architectural elements on the facades of residential and commercial buildings, has created deep identity challenges within the urban fabric. The core problem of this research lies in the stark contradiction between the religious-historical identity of Mashhad and the proliferation of a style rooted in Western culture, which has evolved into a symbol of modernity and social status. Unlike previous studies that have predominantly critiqued this phenomenon through a physical or pathological approach from the perspective of experts, this research focuses on the lack of a comprehensive “lived-experience” understanding of the factors shaping this tendency among key stakeholders in the architectural field (architects, builders, owners, urban managers, and citizens). The research problem is situated in the epistemic gap regarding how this style is constructed in the minds of actors and why it transforms into “symbolic capital.” Essentially, this study seeks to investigate why, in an Islamic-Iranian context, architecture has been reduced from a cultural phenomenon to a display commodity, and how the Roman facade functions as a response to identity vacuums and the status-seeking needs of emerging classes. This problem has been formulated using sociological theoretical frameworks, specifically Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice and Thorstein Veblen’s concept of conspicuous consumption, framing it as a crisis in identity representation and the political economy of space.
The Purpose of the Research: The ultimate aim of this research is to move beyond mere aesthetic criticism and achieve a deep, multilayered understanding of the Roman facade phenomenon within the specific context of Mashhad. The study intends to present a conceptual model by systematically analyzing the narratives and experiences of key actors, explaining the complex interaction between “individual factors” (attitudes, motivations, and taste), “socio-economic factors” (status seeking, conspicuous consumption, and market logic), and “structural factors” (urban policies, laws, and regulatory vacuums). Another objective is to reveal the processes through which an alien architectural style becomes a tool for class distinction and the conversion of economic capital into symbolic capital. The findings of this research can serve as a theoretical foundation for future studies in architectural sociology and as a practical guide for policymakers and urban managers to formulate more efficient strategies for managing the city’s visual identity and addressing the damaging urban development trends.
Methodology: Adopting an “Interpretative-Constructivist” paradigm, this research utilizes a qualitative approach and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The choice of this method is based on the nature of the research problem, which requires entering the inner world and lived experience of individuals to understand how they make meaning of the Roman facade phenomenon. The research population consists of five main groups of influential actors in Mashhad: architects and designers, builders and investors, owners and residents, urban managers and experts, and ordinary citizens. Sampling was conducted purposively using snowball techniques and continued until theoretical saturation was reached (totaling 60 in-depth interviews and focus groups). The primary data collection tool was in-depth semi-structured interviews, supplemented by field observations and the analysis of urban documents and regulations (data triangulation). Data analysis followed the standard IPA process, including immersion in data, initial noting, developing emergent themes, clustering, and interpreting common patterns. To ensure the validity and reliability of the research (based on Lincoln and Guba’s criteria), methods such as member checking, peer debriefing, and maintaining a detailed audit trail were employed. This methodology allowed for the deep exploration of underlying motivations, emotions, and beliefs that are inaccessible through quantitative studies.
Findings and Discussion: The analysis of interview data led to the identification of four overarching themes that explain the core of the Roman facade phenomenon. The first theme, “The Economy of Status; Facade as Symbolic Capital,” indicates that for builders and owners, the Roman facade is less an artistic choice and more a strategic tool in the housing market and the arena of social competition. With features such as the use of stone, elaborate ornamentation, and massive scale, this facade has become a symbol of “wealth,” “success,” and “class distinction.” Within Bourdieu’s theoretical framework, the Roman facade acts as a mechanism for converting “economic capital” into “symbolic capital”; owners display their social position through the conspicuous consumption of this style, while builders utilize it for branding and guaranteeing profitability. The second theme, “Identity Crisis and the Quest for Borrowed Glory,” addresses the cultural roots of the issue. Findings point to a deep identity vacuum and a disconnect from historical memory in contemporary architecture. Actors, perceiving traditional architecture as inefficient and modern architecture as soulless, turn to the Roman facade to fill this void, as it promises “glory,” “grandeur,” and “authenticity” (albeit false and imported). This phenomenon represents a “simulacrum” in the Baudrillardian sense, where rootless copies replace historical reality. The third theme, “Market Logic and Professional Surrender,” describes the condition of the architectural community. Findings reveal that immense market pressure and client demands have reduced many architects from experts to “operators” and “translators of client taste.” In this field, the logic of profitability and sales has overpowered aesthetic and cultural principles, forcing architects into compliance or isolation. The fourth theme, “Regulatory Vacuum and Institutional Passivity,” highlights the facilitating role of management structures. Weak laws, the interpretability of facade committee regulations, and most importantly, the financial dependence of municipalities on revenue from construction (conflict of interest) have led to institutional passivity in the face of this style’s expansion. Ultimately, the research resulted in a conceptual model titled “The Vicious Cycle of Roman Facade Reproduction.” This model demonstrates how the synergy between “economic drivers” (speculation), “social needs” (status seeking), and “institutional weaknesses” creates a cycle where any new building with a Roman facade, while degrading urban identity and causing visual chaos, reinforces public taste and further stabilizes this style as a norm. This phenomenon drives the city toward “identity fragmentation” and the formation of a “patchwork” landscape where collective values are sacrificed to individual display.
Conclusion: The results of this research hold significant practical implications for urban management and design. First, the findings reveal the necessity for a fundamental revision of Mashhad’s urban landscape regulations; laws must move away from generalities and provide necessary enforcement guarantees to control visual speculation through qualitative and transparent criteria. Second, the research emphasizes the need for cultural and educational intervention; urban management must help to reform public taste by supporting alternative architectural patterns that are compatible with indigenous identity while meeting the society’s need for beauty and distinction. Third, the results indicate that solving this issue is impossible without reducing the city economy’s dependence on selling density and construction violations. The study suggests that facade committees should transform from purely bureaucratic bodies into centers for architectural discourse. Finally, the proposed model can serve as an analytical tool for architects and urban planners to understand their position in the professional “field” and adopt more conscious strategies against market pressures.
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