Typology of Earth-shelter Architecture in Iran

Subject Areas : Urban Design

Meghedy  Khodabakhshian ¹ (Ph.D., Department of Art and Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran)
Seyed Majid  Mofidi ² (Assistant professor, School of Architecture and Urban Studies, University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran)
Farah  Habib ³ (Associate professor, Department of Art and Architecture, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2012-04-10 Accepted : 2012-08-16 Published : 2012-10-01

Keywords: architecture, Iran, Earth-shelter, Typology,

Abstract :

Earth-Shelter construction is one of the aspects in architecture where the thermal mass of the earth behind theouter walls are applied in order to reduce heat loss and keep the internal temperature at human comfort range. In case of earth-shelterbuildings, housing is especially important. As for its applicability the earth-shelter provides good housing. Typological studies ofearth-shelter construction in Iran by introduces various Iranian examples of this type, could be a model for the today’s innovativedesigns with an approach to energy saving. This type of construction responded to human comfort requirements when modernismwas absent to claim that it could do the same through mechanical technology. The study method adopted here consists of qualitative-descriptiveand deductive analyses. The categories of earth-shelter architecture are three worldwide: Earth Mound, Rocky or In-Hill and Bellowground. Here the genotype of earth architecture and phenotype of earth-shelter are studied in details. The same is of two in Iran:Rocky, which is divided in continues and discontinues types and closed underground type. Studies conducted in Iran have revealeda new type of these structures named Combined Continues Rocky open Underground by the author.