Evaluation of interventionist designs in the historical context of Kerman city of Iran, from the perspective of the degree of adaptability with the historical context

A major challenge in Kerman’s historic fabric is the incompatibility of many recent constructions with their surroundings. Context-responsive design strengthens citizens’ sense of place; therefore, it is necessary to identify the physical characteristics that enable new interventions to conform to their historic context. While prior studies have examined factors like how building attributes influence place attachment, the specific physical characteristics that foster conformity within the Iranian historic context have not been precisely defined. This study addresses that gap by first identifying indicators of a building’s adaptability to the historic context through expert interviews in Kerman using snowball sampling. Next, we conduct pairwise comparisons on a nine-point scale to determine the relative weights of each physical indicator. Finally, using an outranking approach (ELECTRE), we compare four prominent buildings situated within the historic area to assess their adaptability to Kerman’s historic context. The results indicate that form, proportions, spatial structure, and height carry the highest priority among the physical indicators, and that the Sarouj Complex exhibits the strongest overall adaptability to the historic context of Kerman.