Recognizing Dimensions of Using Water in the Traditional Architecture of Iran with an Emphasis on Arid and Semi-Arid Climate (Case Study: Residential Architecture of Yazd City)

Considering the importance of the category of water and its consumption management in the country, the purpose of this research is to identify the dimensions and motivations of using water in arid and semi-arid climates and the traditional architecture of Iranian houses.

The research method is of mixed type. In the first part, the historical interpretation method was used to identify the dimensions and motivations of using water in the traditional architecture of Iran. The city of Yazd was considered as a research pilot, and certain buildings that had traditional architectural features were selected, and the function of water was determined using the Delphi technique (expert panel). In the second part, the dimensions were categorized and prioritized through a questionnaire (spectral checklist). In order to determine the construct validity of the questionnaire, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using Lisrel software.

The results showed that a total of 17 components in the form of two main dimensions (conceptual and physical) can be considered as the main components of using water in traditional Iranian architecture. The most important components of the conceptual dimension were: color, nature, sanctity and transparency. Also, among the influencing components in the physical dimension, hierarchy, environmental hygiene, geometry and proportions were more important than other components. "Arab Kermani" building has got the highest score (61/161), which shows that the role of water in this building was more and more important than other study sites.

Today, it seems necessary to review the designs and adapt traditional architectural patterns, especially in the water application sector. For this purpose, traditional architectural patterns can be used for arid and semi-arid climates.