Secrets of Light in Traditional Houses of Iran

Subject Areas : Urban Design

Vida Makani ^{1 *} , Arezu Khorram ² , Zahra Ahmadipur ³

1 - Faculty Member of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
2 - M. S. Student, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Gilan, Rasht, Iran
3 - M. S. Student, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran

Accepted : 2012-06-06 Published : 2012-07-01

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Abstract :

In addition to attention to natural light as a renewable, costless and environment-friendly source of energy inthe late 20th century, numerous studies have been conducted into the effect of natural light on human being’s soul and body andall such studies reiterate the undeniable role of natural lighting on people’s behavior, attitudes, and efficiency. However, in spiteof the awareness of the effects of natural light on human beings as well as on the environment, source of lighting in most buildingsis still limited to artificial lighting and most of the solutions used in the old architecture with regard to the use of natural lightinghave been forgotten nowadays. This paper, based upon a holistic approach and a qualitative research method analyses a fewtraditional houses in Hot and Dry climate of Iran and showed how their builders by using architectural elements as well asdifferent methods of space organization so to better use light to satisfy the physical and psychological needs of the inhabitants,including visual and heat comfort, health, introducing variety and increasing space quality. As we will see, this research describesthe methods they tried to create a balance between physical and psychological needs of the inhabitants and to supply the requiredenergy.