Colorscape Analysis with an Emphasis on the Visual Relationship in Historic Urban Landscape; Case Study: The Zandieh Complex in Shiraz

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student of Urban Heritage Conservation and Restoration,Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Abstract

Color is a fundamental component of the visual identity of historic urban landscapes and plays a critical role in urban readability, aesthetic coherence, and heritage continuity. Despite its importance, systematic quantitative analysis of urban color systems remains limited in many historic cities. This study aims to analyze the colorscape of the Zandieh historic complex in Shiraz, Iran, with particular emphasis on its contribution to visual cohesion within the framework of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach.
The research adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology based on field sampling of authentic façade colors. Approximately 600 images of historic urban facades were collected, from which 100 representative samples of brick and tile surfaces were selected after filtering altered or non-original elements. Color values were extracted from the images and processed in MATLAB. The data were converted from RGB to the perceptually uniform CIELAB color space and analyzed using the K-Means clustering algorithm to identify dominant color groups. The optimal number of clusters was determined using the Elbow method.
The findings reveal that the color structure of the Zandieh complex is characterized by a dominant palette of warm earthy tones derived primarily from brick materials. These colors exhibit moderate lightness and limited chromatic variation, forming a cohesive visual background across urban facades. In contrast, tile decorations present a broader chromatic range with higher perceptual differences, functioning as visual accents within the overall composition. Distance analysis using ΔE values demonstrates that brick colors maintain relatively small perceptual differences, reinforcing visual continuity, whereas tile colors introduce controlled contrast and spatial emphasis.
The study concludes that the visual cohesion of the Zandieh historic landscape emerges from a structured relationship between homogeneous background tones and selective color contrasts. The extracted palette provides a scientific basis for developing color guidelines for restoration and urban design interventions in historic areas. The proposed approach demonstrates how quantitative color analysis can support heritage conservation strategies within the HUL framework.

Highlights

  • Urban colorscape refers to the set of color relationships and patterns among different elements of the urban environment that collectively shape the overall visual quality of the city.
  • Understanding and guiding the urban color system through landscape conservation strategies particularly within the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach plays a key role in preserving visual integrity and sustaining the historical identity of cities.
  • This study aims to analyze the urban colorscape with emphasis on visual cohesion within the framework of the Historic Urban Landscape approach in the Zandieh Complex of Shiraz.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 11 April 2026
  • Revise Date: 05 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 22 May 2026
  • First Publish Date: 21 June 2026
  • Publish Date: 21 June 2026

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