Mapping Islamic Residential Architecture Research: Development of the Islamic Architecture Knowledge Integration Theory (IAKIT)

Abstract

Introduction: Islamic residential architecture embodies hurma, family cohesion, and stewardship through elements such as courtyards, screened openings, and qibla‑oriented layouts, yet contemporary pressures of globalisation, climate change, and digitalisation have fragmented the related scholarship and obscured how these values are translated into current housing research and practice.

Objectives: This article aims to systematically map the intellectual, thematic, and geographical structure of Islamic residential architecture research, clarify how Islamic values and maqāṣid al‑sharīʿa are operationalised within this literature, and develop an integrative theoretical framework—the Islamic Architecture Knowledge Integration Theory (IAKIT)—to guide future studies, design practice, and policy.

Methods: A mixed‑method sequential design was applied to 231 Scopus‑indexed publications (1982–2026), combining descriptive and inferential bibliometric techniques (trend analysis, co‑citation, bibliographic coupling, keyword co‑occurrence, cluster modularity, and correlation tests) with qualitative, abductive interpretation of emerging thematic clusters, all framed by a critical realist ontology and post‑positivist epistemology.

Results: The analysis reveals sustained growth in output, a socio‑technical disciplinary profile, and four robust thematic clusters—Cultural‑Spiritual Foundations, Environmental‑Performance Integration, Methodological‑Analytical Paradigms, and Heritage‑Innovation Synthesis—that together account for a high proportion of variance and demonstrate increasing integration of sustainability, digital tools, and heritage‑based design logics across regions. These clusters show statistically significant temporal trends and strong links between regional research communities, thematic orientations, and methodological innovation.

Conclusions: The findings consolidate a previously scattered body of work, substantiate IAKIT as a four‑dimensional framework that links maqāṣid‑based values with environmental performance and methodological innovation, and highlight emerging opportunities for multidisciplinary, culturally responsive housing strategies in rapidly urbanising Muslim‑majority contexts.