Effects of vernacular architecture structure on urban sustainability case study: Qeshm Island, Iran

Abstract

The architecture of Qeshm Island includes the specific architectural style of a warm and wet area, which previously had a functional use aimed to reach a sustainable architecture and development. However, few studiesontheidentification ofthecharacteristicsofvernacular architecture and their roles in island stability have been performed. Thus, to understand the vernacular architecture of the island as a sustainable pattern, we discussed it separately in three aspects, namely, urban fabric, one-based architecture, and architectural details. To address our study, a part of the old fabric of the city with its existing buildings (42 buildings of 70 years of age) was selected and evaluated in a qualitative study. Results showed that in the scale of the urban fabric, factors, such as the structures of the buildings, the frame of the neighborhood spaces, and in terms of the architectural details, factors, such as bars, thickness of the walls, and the openings, are among the vernacular features of the area, playing an important role in the stability of Qeshm Island. In general, studies showed that vernacular architecture of the island has focused on developing an orientation between the climate of the region and a good understanding of the construction.

Key words： Urban fabric; Building form; Hot and humid cli- mate; Traditional architec- ture; Wind catcher