Dr. Mostafa Behzadfar Armanshahr Architecture & Urban Development 2008-5079 18 52 2025 11 22 Qualitative Components of Residential Building Façade Design Based on Behavioral Analysis of Children’s Mental Images in Historical Fabrics Qualitative Components of Residential Building Façade Design Based on Behavioral Analysis of Children’s Mental Images in Historical Fabrics 17 39 232555 10.22034/aaud.2025.434172.2854 FA Sahar Madhkhan M.A. in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Kashan, Kashan. Ahmad Danaeinia Associate Professor of Conservation, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran (Corresponding Author). 0000-0001-9344-1398 Journal Article 2024 01 05 In contemporary urban architecture, particularly within historical fabrics, the biological needs of children—as one of the most sensitive social groups—are often overlooked. This study addresses the existing research gap concerning the qualitative aspects of residential façades from the perspective of children’s mental images. The main objective is to extract the visual components influencing façade design from the perspective of this age group and to explain their relationship with residential sustainability in historical contexts, thereby enhancing the vitality of these areas. By adopting a mixed qualitative–quantitative methodological approach, the research seeks to answer the question: What qualitative indicators define the design of a child-centered residential complex, with emphasis on their mental images of the façade? In the qualitative phase, drawings by 82 children aged 7 to 12 depicting their ideal façade (in the Dar al-Ziyafeh neighborhood of Isfahan) were analyzed using theoretical foundations and the opinions of behavioral specialists. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire based on the patterns extracted from the drawings was evaluated by 97 expert architects. Statistical analyses conducted with SPSS and PLS identified two main groups of components: tangible and intangible. The results reveal that children’s shared mental images can be utilized as guiding criteria in façade design. This approach not only contributes to creating child-friendly spaces but also directly supports the enhancement and continuity of habitation within valuable historical fabrics. In contemporary urban architecture, particularly within historical fabrics, the biological needs of children—as one of the most sensitive social groups—are often overlooked. This study addresses the existing research gap concerning the qualitative aspects of residential façades from the perspective of children’s mental images. The main objective is to extract the visual components influencing façade design from the perspective of this age group and to explain their relationship with residential sustainability in historical contexts, thereby enhancing the vitality of these areas. By adopting a mixed qualitative–quantitative methodological approach, the research seeks to answer the question: What qualitative indicators define the design of a child-centered residential complex, with emphasis on their mental images of the façade? In the qualitative phase, drawings by 82 children aged 7 to 12 depicting their ideal façade (in the Dar al-Ziyafeh neighborhood of Isfahan) were analyzed using theoretical foundations and the opinions of behavioral specialists. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire based on the patterns extracted from the drawings was evaluated by 97 expert architects. Statistical analyses conducted with SPSS and PLS identified two main groups of components: tangible and intangible. The results reveal that children’s shared mental images can be utilized as guiding criteria in façade design. This approach not only contributes to creating child-friendly spaces but also directly supports the enhancement and continuity of habitation within valuable historical fabrics. https://www.armanshahrjournal.com/article_232555_88e69dbd0be250bca8e5ac07d127b269.pdf