Analysis of the Architectural Style of Historical and Traditional Housing in the Sistan Region with a Climatic Approach and Proposing Criteria and Models for Contemporary Architecture

Considering the severe climatic conditions in the Sistan Region of Iran and due to 120-day winds and burningsun, it is imperative to adapt the traditional housing in this region to the climate. Unfortunately, the use of patternsdisproportionate to the climate in recent decades has become a common problem considering the changes inpeople’s lifestyles and livelihoods and technological changes. The question is “How can the historical andtraditional architectural style in the Sistan region be used for developing contemporary housing?”Using a case study and a descriptive-analytical approach, the adaptation of rural houses to environmentalconditions was investigated in five prominent historical villages of Sistan. Subsequently, solutions were proposedto adapt to the climatic conditions of the region. In addition, models for rural housing were proposed. Based onthe findings of the field study, it seems that using the old models of traditional Sistani architecture is an effectivestrategy for designing housing suitable for the special climate of this region in the present era. Moreover, thefindings highlighted the necessity to pay attention to the orientation of the building for better use of wind andnatural ventilation, create natural and artificial windbreaks, use water and green space, shade the walls, and useintroverted architectural models and central yards.