Sustainable Habitat Journal
Published November 21, 2025 | Version PDF
Journal article Open

The Courtyard as Climate-Responsive Architecture: An Analysis of the Tabatabai House in Kashan as a Model of Sustainable Iranian Domestic Design

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Paya Boom (Sustainable Habitat), Scientific Specialized Quarterly in Architecture
  • 2. Allameh Jafari Higher Education Institute
  • 3. Chitra - Center for Holistic and Intelligent Training, Research, and Advancement

Description

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the Tabatabai House (Khāneh-ye Tabātabā’i) in Kashan, Iran, as a paradigm of pre-modern sustainable architecture. Constructed in the late 19th century during the Qajar era, the house exemplifies an integrated system of passive cooling, natural ventilation, thermal mass regulation, and spatial organization responsive to arid climatic conditions. Through architectural analysis, climatic data interpretation, and spatial performance evaluation, this paper demonstrates how indigenous design strategies, such as the central courtyard, wind towers (badgirs), subterranean chambers (sardabs), and thick earthen walls, collectively achieve thermal comfort without mechanical intervention. The findings are contextualized within contemporary sustainability frameworks, including ASHRAE Standard 55 and the Passive House Institute’s criteria. The article argues that the Tabatabai House is not merely a cultural relic but a functional prototype for low-energy residential design in hot-arid climates. Recommendations are offered for adapting its principles in contemporary urban housing, particularly in regions facing energy insecurity and climate vulnerability. This research contributes to decolonizing sustainable architecture discourse by validating non-Western knowledge systems as scientifically rigorous and globally applicable.

Files

SHJ2I4A03.pdf

Files (1.1 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:a0284fe09c75393feba5b8e2de9dc558
1.1 MB Preview Download

Additional details

Identifiers

ISSN
3115-7661
URL
https://shjournal.ir/shj2i4a03
URL
https://pbjournal.ir/shj2i4a03
ARK
ark:/15739/shj2i4a03

Dates

Issued
2025-11-21

References

  • - Aghaie, K. (2005). The architecture of Iran: From pre-Islamic to modern times. Tehran University Press.
  • - AlSayyad, N. (2001). Consuming tradition, manufacturing heritage: Global norms and urban forms in an age of tourism. Routledge.
  • - Archinomy. (n.d.). Tabatabai mansion. https://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/tabatabai-mansion/
  • - California Energy Commission. (2023). Desert Courtyard Initiative: Final evaluation report. https://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2023-04-15_desert_courtyard_final
  • - Eavar Travel. (2024, July 13). Tabatabaei House | A must-see historical landmark in Kashan. https://www.eavartravel.com/blog/2024/7/13/160924/tabatabai-house/
  • - Fathi, M., & Soltani, N. (2019). Thermal performance of subterranean spaces in traditional Iranian houses: A case study of Isfahan. Energy and Buildings, 196, 172–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.05.021
  • - Ghahremani, A. (2016). Daylighting and ventilation in traditional Persian houses: A study of Kashan's residential architecture. Journal of Architectural Engineering, 22(3), 04016004. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000201
  • - Gholizadeh, M., Rahimi, H., & Fathi, M. (2017). Thermal behavior of traditional adobe walls in hot-arid climates: Experimental and numerical analysis. Building and Environment, 122, 238–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.06.011
  • - Haddad, A. (2010). Wind towers in traditional Iranian architecture: A technical review. Renewable Energy, 35(12), 2691–2699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2010.04.011
  • - Hedayat, M. (1980). The Persian house: Form and function in traditional Iranian architecture. University of Tehran Press.
  • - Holling, C. S. (2001). Understanding the complexity of economic, ecological, and social systems. Ecosystems, 4(5), 390–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-001-0045-9
  • - Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization (ICHO). (2021). Architectural documentation of Tabatabai House, Kashan [Archival blueprints].
  • - Iranian Meteorological Organization (IRIMO). (2023). Climatological data for Kashan, 1970–2020. https://www.irimo.ir
  • - Irantourismer. (n.d.). Tabatabaei House. https://irantourismer.com/tabatabaei-house/
  • - Islamic History and Travel. (n.d.). Tabatabaei House - Kashan. https://www.islamichistoryandtravel.com/tabatabaei-house-khane-kashan/
  • - Karegar, M. (2012). Wind towers: The forgotten technology of ancient Persia. Journal of Iranian Architecture, 8(2), 45–61.
  • - Kermani, M. (2018). Climate and architecture in central Iran: The case of Kashan. Tehran: University of Art Publications.
  • - King, D. A. (1976). Islamic architecture. Harry N. Abrams.
  • - Nasr, V. (1984). The traditional house in Iran. MIT Press.
  • - Picon, A. (2017). Architecture and the sciences: A history of the modern built environment. Princeton University Press.
  • - Rapoport, A. (1969). House form and culture. Prentice-Hall.
  • - Santos, B. de S. (2018). The end of the cognitive empire: The coming of age of epistemologies of the South. Duke University Press.
  • - UNEP. (2022). 2022 Global status report for buildings and construction. United Nations Environment Programme. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/global-status-report-buildings-and-construction-2022
  • - World Health Organization (WHO). (2018). Guidelines for heat–health action plans. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550393
  • - Yaran, A., Behroo, H., & Nezamdoost, S. A. (2020). Identifying the principles of identity building in Tabatabai and Boroujerdi houses. Armanshahr Architecture & Urban Development, 13(30), 201–212. https://doi.org/10.22034/aaud.2019.177213.1845
  • - Yazd Urban Planning Office. (2021). Evaluation of courtyard house retrofits in Yazd: 2016–2020. Municipal Report No. 442.