Optimization of Proportions of Central Courtyard based on Comfort Standards in the Traditional Qajar Period Houses in Boushehr

Abstract

The traditional architectural methods used in the historical cities of Iran provide useful information on various fields related to architecture and urban planning. Of particular interest are the techniques used for designing open and closed spaces in houses located in the hot and humid climate zone. The proportions observed for the courtyard in such houses have a great role in determining the amount of radiation energy absorbed by various surfaces in the courtyard as well as in providing visual and thermal comfort conditions for the inhabitants. In this article, different examples of several courtyards were determined via field studies and the shaded areas resulting from various dimensions on different surfaces were analyzed at different times of the year using software models. Comparing the shaded area obtained from these samples with the Climate Need Table for Boushehr, we obtained the best sample in terms of sunlight and shade hours/times. These results were further compared with the long-term and short-term data obtained from Boushehr Meteorological Station. It was concluded that optimizing central courtyard proportions would increase shaded areas incident on courtyard surfaces, reduce walls temperature, reduce the cooling load of the building, and increase comfort inside traditional houses during the hottest period in Boushehr.