Fusion of contemporary architecture with historic Persian elements

Abstract

Iranian architecture has a complex relationship with the internationalist objectives of Modernism. Modernist concepts of universal architectural design, dependent on technologies that control internal environment and formal principles that ignore regional tradition are now understood to be unsatisfactory in the context of architecture particularly where ancient but sophisticated design methodologies are present. Political and social change in Iran in recent years has contributed to a new environment for architecture in which more emphasis is placed on both historical precedent, and climate-responsive building. This project investigates the relationship of traditional architectural forms to a contemporary building function. It proposes a design for a Climate Research Centre located in the Yazd University campus in a joint project with Canterbury University in New Zealand. The climatic conditions of Yazd are hot arid and have led to specific architectural devices that render the internal conditions of the buildings pleasant without mechanical methods. By utilizing environmental conditions such as wind and solar energies, these methods use particular building materials, shady courtyards, small windows and wind-catchers. This project studied and used them as primary determinants of the design, which was developed with models and drawings in order to understand the traditional climate control techniques used in Persian architecture and incorporate these elements in designing a contemporary building.

These constraints in theory and building practice are combined to address the question of cultural locality and environmental performance in the proposal to develop an architectural form that functions in the climate of Yazd, serves a 21ST century. purpose, and respects the formal traditions of Persian architecture.