جهاددانشگاهی فصلنامه علمی پژوهشهای فضا و مکان در شهر 3060-6985 9 37 2026 02 20 Application of Edward Hall's Proxemics Model in Analyzing Socio-Spatial Interactions: A Case Study of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan تحلیل تعاملات اجتماعی‌ـ‌‌فضایی به روش فاصله گذاری ادواردهال (مطالعۀ موردی: میدان نقش جهان اصفهان) 35 54 734038 10.22034/jspr.2026.2072143.1167 FA سحر خراسانی کارشناسی‌ارشد، گروه معماری و شهرسازی، دانشکدۀ فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه شهید اشرفی اصفهانی، اصفهان، ایران. 0009-0007-2976-2497 رامتین مرتهب استادیار و عضو هیئت‌علمی، گروه معماری و شهرسازی، دانشکدۀ فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه شهید اشرفی اصفهانی، اصفهان، ایران. 0000-0002-6909-4741 Journal Article 2025 09 22 Introduction Public spaces are key venues for social gatherings, participation, and collective expression, playing a crucial role in fostering collective identity and enhancing social well-being (El-Bardisy, 2024: 3). They also provide a context for analyzing human behavior through interpersonal spacing, or proxemics, which classifies distances into four zones: intimate (0–0.45 m), personal (0.45–1.2 m), social (1.2–3.6 m), and public (>3.6 m) (Hall, 1966). Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran, is one of the most prominent historical public spaces in the country, hosting both locals and tourists and offering a unique setting for studying socio-spatial interactions. Previous studies have primarily focused on the historical, architectural, and physical aspects of the square, while micro-scale analyses of user interactions and interpersonal spacing patterns remain limited (Babazadeh Asbagh, 2024: 3–8; Radahmadi et al., 1399: 5–12). This study aims to address this gap by investigating two primary questions: 1) What are the spatial patterns and interpersonal distances in Naqsh-e Jahan Square according to Hall’s proxemics model? 2) How do these patterns vary across morning, afternoon, and night periods? Understanding these patterns is essential to inform user-centered design and management, improve social interactions, and support sustainable tourism in historical urban spaces. Theoretical Framework This study is grounded in Edward Hall’s proxemics theory, which highlights the role of interpersonal distances in regulating social behavior (Hall, 1966). The theory has been extended to urban public spaces, where environmental and physical conditions, alongside cultural norms, influence behavior. Complementary concepts such as territoriality—primary (fixed), secondary (temporary), and public (open)—explain how users create informal boundaries through spatial positioning and clustering. Fixed features such as pathways, fountains, and iwans structure movement and spatial organization, while semi-fixed elements like seating areas, furniture, and shading regulate density, proximity, and social interaction. In Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the convergence of local cultural norms and tourism-driven dynamics requires an adapted proxemics framework that considers lighting, shading, crowd density, and temporal fluctuations. This augmented approach demonstrates that interpersonal distances result from the interaction between social norms and environmental affordances, positioning public spaces as “living behavioral models” in which user feedback informs iterative spatial design and management. Methodology A mixed–methods approach was employed to examine interpersonal spacing and user behavior in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. The study population included tourists, local residents, families, couples, and solitary users. Data collection occurred in June 2025 over three distinct day types—a weekday, a near-holiday day, and a holiday—across three time slots each day (morning 9:00–12:00, afternoon 16:00–19:00, and night 20:00–23:00), producing nine observational sessions in total. Key observation points included the central pool edges, the area in front of Ali Qapu Palace, the northern, eastern, and western platforms, the mosque entrances, and the iwans. A systematic, non-intrusive observation method ensured the natural behavior of users. An observation checklist captured variables such as time, location, social composition, dominant activity (sitting, standing, wandering, eating, cycling, vending, etc.), interpersonal distance (coded per Hall’s four zones), interaction type, and environmental conditions, including crowd density. Distances were estimated using the square’s flooring units (~50 cm each). In total, 380 social groups and individuals were recorded. Behavioral maps were created for morning, afternoon, and night to integrate observations for qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis employed descriptive statistics (mean distances, activity distributions), while qualitative analysis involved map interpretation and environmental notes. Reliability and validity were ensured through repeated observations and dual coding. Results and Discussion Findings indicate that interpersonal spacing patterns are strongly influenced by day type, time of day, and environmental and physical factors. On low-density weekdays, social and public distances dominate, with individual, transient behavior prevalent. In contrast, near-holiday and holiday periods show higher density, reduced distances, and more intimate interactions. Users actively create secondary territories, particularly along the central pool, peripheral platforms, and shaded zones, while open transitional areas remain primarily public. Fixed elements structure movement and clustering, whereas semi-fixed elements such as furniture, seating, and shade regulate density, distance, and interaction opportunities. Hall’s model alone is insufficient for fully explaining behavior in Iranian public spaces; environmental and spatial components must be integrated. Behavioral mapping revealed that shaded, furnished areas accommodate higher density and closer interactions, while open sunlit areas maintain larger interpersonal distances. The findings align with patterns observed in global public spaces but also reflect local socio-cultural and tourism-related dynamics, emphasizing the importance of context-specific adaptation in public space design. Conclusion Naqsh-e Jahan Square functions as a “living behavioral model,” where user behaviors interact with environmental affordances to shape social experiences. Integrating Hall’s proxemics model with spatial and environmental variables provides a practical framework for analyzing and designing user-centered historical public spaces. By adjusting furniture layouts, lighting, shading, zoning, and pathways based on observed behaviors, overcrowding can be reduced and social interactions enhanced. This study contributes to the localization of proxemics theory and offers practical guidance for sustainable, inclusive, and context-aware urban planning in Iran, ensuring that historical public spaces meet real user needs while supporting social vitality and cultural continuity. فضاهای عمومی شهری به‌عنوان عرصه‌های کلیدی تعاملات اجتماعی، نقش مهمی در شکل‌گیری هویت جمعی و ارتقای کیفیت زندگی شهری دارند، اما ابعاد رفتاری کاربران و الگوهای فاصله‌گذاری میان‌فردی در مطالعات ایران کمتر بررسی شده است. این پژوهش با هدف پاسخ به این پرسش که «الگوهای فاصله‌گذاری میان‌فردی در میدان نقش جهان اصفهان چگونه شکل می‌گیرند و در بازه‌های زمانی مختلف چه تغییراتی دارند؟» انجام شد. روش پژوهش ترکیبی کیفی‌ـ‌کمی و مبتنی بر مشاهدۀ مستقیم غیرمداخله‌گر بود. داده‌ها در سه نوع روز (کاری، نزدیک تعطیل و تعطیل) و سه بازه زمانی (صبح، عصر و شب) از کاربران شامل شهروندان و گردشگران جمع‌آوری و با چک‌لیست متغیرهایی مانند نوع فعالیت، ترکیب اجتماعی، فاصلۀ میان‌فردی، طبق مدل هال، تراکم و شرایط محیطی ثبت شد. تحلیل کمی با آمار توصیفی و تحلیل کیفی با تفسیر نقشه‌های رفتاری و یادداشت‌های محیطی انجام شد. یافته‌ها نشان داد که الگوهای فاصله‌گذاری تحت‌تأثیر نوع روز، تراکم جمعیت و ویژگی‌های کالبدی فضا تغییر می‌کنند، در روزهای کاری فاصله‌های اجتماعی و عمومی غالب‌اند، درحالی‌که در روزهای تعطیل و شب‌ها فاصله‌های شخصی و صمیمی افزایش می‌یابند. کاربران با انتخاب موقعیت‌های مشخص قلمروهای موقت و نیمه‌خصوصی ایجاد می‌کنند و عناصر محیطی مانند نور، سایه و مبلمان رفتار میان‌فردی را تنظیم می‌کنند. این نتایج ضمن تأیید مدل هال، ضرورت بومی‌سازی آن در بستر فرهنگی و اقلیمی ایران و ارائۀ چهارچوبی کاربردی برای طراحی انسان‌محور فضاهای عمومی تاریخی را نشان می‌دهد.

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