A comparison of the traditional use of court houses in two cities

Abstract

For many years central court houses have been used in parts of Iran with different climates. Though initially there appear to be many similarities, some aspects of these houses vary from one climatic zone to another. Several studies have also suggested that users of these houses moved within them as they sought for better thermal situations. This article sets out how differing sizes, forms and dimensional ratios of central courts in two climate zones of Iran (Yazd, hot and dry, and Bushehr, hot and humid) can support this behaviour. In both places these central court forms can provide good situations for human comfort on various sides and levels of the court. Consequently, residents could move within the house with the seasons to get their desired level of thermal comfort but these traditional patterns of movement differ for each climate zone.