Rereading the features of vernacular architecture in the housing of coastal villages of Bushehr

The coastal villages of Bushehr province have a long history due to their suitable geographical location in near the Persian Gulf and in some cases suitable agricultural lands, and therefore have a rich heritage of vernacular architecture. While simple and unpretentious, this architecture contains principles and features including construction methods, climate responsive design, physical features and how to use local resources. This study aims to identify the vernacular architecture in the coastal rural areas of Bushehr province and extract its patterns to develop guidelines for design, through reviewing the characteristics of the rural fabric and vernacular architecture of these areas. To recognize the vernacular architectural patterns in the coastal villages of Bushehr province, vernacular housing in the villages of Shif, Salem-Abad and North Oli was analyzed. The examined factors in rural fabric and buildings were classified into different themes such as density, the orientation of passages, physical architectural features, construction equipment and solutions for providing climatic comfort. Data was collected through the descriptive-analytical method, using various survey methods in the three mentioned villages. Physical-spatial features were analyzed in selected cases and architectural features were compared. The results of this study include the key features of vernacular architecture in these areas that provide design guidance. Considering human proportions in residential areas and entrances, defining intermediate open space between building masses, paying attention to climatic orientation in masses and architectural details, the need to use multiple openings and lightening the structures are the main characteristics of vernacular coastal villages.