Cold Climate

The appearance of Square in Northwest Iran, as a traditional element of the city, did not have a certain definition in the urban planning due to its structural disruption in the spatial fabric as well as its chaotic present in the manifestation of its identity. On the other hand, since the concept of the square in this area does not match to the similar models existing in the central plateau of Iran including the characteristics of being enclosed and architectural integrity, most researchers have assumed that the irregularity of the form in the squares of northwest Iran is because of gradual growth, lack of spatial desirability, and performance without a predesigned plan. This descriptive-analytic research studies the effect of climate on the formation of the structural layout of "Saheb Abad" Square as a case study. In this way, a specified framework would be suggested, and a fixed sustainable urban pattern would be achieved regarding the form of a square in modern urbanism in this region. According to the findings of this study, the disintegrated layout of the square in Northwest Iran is not only because of its structural weakness, but it was in certain parallels with environmental and natural conditions. It is obvious that the investigation of this innovation could lead to sustainable development in modern urban constructions.

Today, the necessity and importance of paying attention to climatic conditions in architecture as an effective factor on the environmental quality of buildings is not hidden from architects. In the country of Iran, the cold climate zone requires special attention in the climatic design of buildings due to its difficulties and considerable extent. Semi-open spaces have been a crucial element in architecture, significantly influencing the spatial arrangement of vernacular buildings in Iranian architecture. However, in contemporary housing, these spaces lack the necessary efficiency, and one of the factors contributing to this, especially in cold climates, is the failure to consider climatic conditions. Modeling climatic design solutions for these spaces in vernacular architecture and applying them in contemporary housing design will enhance the efficiency of these spaces. Intending to investigate the effect of mesoclimate on the structure of semi-open spaces in Qajar-era houses in cold climates, this article examined and compared the climatic conditions in the two cold cities of Ardabil and Tabriz. It identified the physical characteristics of semi-open spaces in the case studies and analyzed the impact of mesoclimatic conditions on the differences in the features of semi-open spaces between the two cities. This research is applied and has a qualitative nature, utilizing the grounded theory method. Comparing the physical attributes of the semi-open spaces in the vernacular houses of the two cities and matching them with the differences in climatic conditions reveals significant differences based on the influence of the mesoclimate on the physical structure of the semi-open spaces.