Investigation and analysis of physical-functional characteristics in rural housing (Case study: Garman village of Shahrood)

Rural housing, especially in the past, has been a symbol of identity. It reflects the social, cultural, economic, and climatic structures of this country. However, extensive changes have been created in the architecture of rural housing so that most new rural houses are not adapted to the rural lifestyle and climatic and biological conditions. In this regard, the architecture of the old rural housing has valuable characteristics that can be identified and analyzed, and used in the new housing. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the physical-functional characteristics of rural housing. The present study is applied in terms of aim and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. For this purpose, first, after reviewing the library resources in the area of rural housing, the factors affecting the formation of rural housing were identified. Then, by using field studies, Garman village of Shahrood was studied as a research case. Then, five samples of Garman village housing indicators were introduced. Then, the physical-functional characteristics in the micro spaces and architectural components of these samples were analyzed. The research results show that socio-cultural, economic, livelihood, and environmental-climatic factors are influential in the formation of rural housing. In the Garman village, socio-cultural factors were influential in the cultural beliefs of the people and their tendency towards simple living and have caused the general form and view of the houses to be simple. Also, due to the people's belief in privacy, public, semi-public and private hierarchies have been created through the definition of entrance corridors or the separate definition of exterior and interior parts. Economic and livelihood factors are influential in the area and number of micro-spaces of the courtyard and entrance, and in the livelihood area, Ghaf Khane (spinning wheel room) has been one of the special micro-spaces of Garman village housing. Also, environmental-climatic factors have been influential in selecting eco-friendly materials, building orientation, and the level of openings. Finally, by analyzing the samples of the Garman village housing index, the design recommendations were explained in the form of a physical-functional framework that is consistent with the rural climate and the social and economic system of the villagers and can be the basis for contemporary housing design in Garman village. Also, this method of analysis on the physical-spatial characteristics of rural housing can be used in new constructions of other villages by explaining the design recommendations.