Abstract:
In addition to attention to natural light as a renewable, costless and environment-friendly source of energy in the late 20th century, numerous studies have been conducted into the effect of natural light on human being’s soul and body and all such studies reiterate the undeniable role of natural lighting on people’s behavior, attitudes, and efficiency. However, in spite of the awareness of the effects of natural light on human beings as well as on the environment, source of lighting in most buildings is still limited to artificial lighting and most of the solutions used in the old architecture with regard to the use of natural lighting have been forgotten nowadays. This paper, based upon a holistic approach and a qualitative research method analyses a few traditional houses in Hot and Dry climate of Iran and showed how their builders by using architectural elements as well as different methods of space organization so to better use light to satisfy the physical and psychological needs of the inhabitants, including visual and heat comfort, health, introducing variety and increasing space quality. As we will see, this research describes the methods they tried to create a balance between physical and psychological needs of the inhabitants and to supply the required energy.
Machine summary:
This paper, based upon a holistic approach and a qualitative research method analyses a few traditional houses in Hot and Dry climate of Iran and showed how their builders by using architectural elements as well as different methods of space organization so to better use light to satisfy the physical and psychological needs of the inhabitants, including visual and heat comfort, health, introducing variety and increasing space quality.
Today, increased urbanization in modern cities has led to compact cities and houses with small yards and tall walls that eclipse open spaces, limiting the access to sunlight and eroding the immediate connection between ourselves and the natural environment.
In these houses, yard is not only a connecting space, but it should be considered a room, without a ceiling in which different activities such as eating, sitting on the ground or by the small pools, and even sleeping was provided through the use of wooden sitting places and the like.
The entrance of light through colorful lattice glasses or through ceiling openings and the reflection on the geometric forms made of brick, mirror, Stalactite creates a spiritual space that reminds one of the presence of God. CONCLUSION Some of the applied strategies in the traditional houses of the hot and dry climate of Iran that have been investigated in this writing include: Reduction of consumption of energy with regard to proper direction of the building and the possibility of movements in summer and winter so to use sunlight more effectively during winter and avoiding the extra light in summer.