The eighth edition of the book An Introduction to the Iranian Rural Architecture, written by Dr. Akbar Haji Ebrahim Zargar, a professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Shahid Beheshti University, was published in 2024 (1403 in the Persian calendar). This book, consisting of 287 pages in a royal octavo format, has been released by the university’s publishing house and is available for purchase at a price of 2,000,000 rials.
Iran is a "semi-rural" country, meaning that half of its settlements are based on indigenous and traditional architecture—more specifically, rural architecture. Every element of this architecture is rooted in the material and spiritual needs of rural communities. The structure of rural architecture, including housing, is intertwined with environmental factors, livelihood methods, production systems, social evolution, and technical capabilities. At the same time, artistic taste, social norms, family and kinship structures, traditions, beliefs, and inner perceptions have shaped unique architectural styles in different regions of the world. Thus, rural housing and architecture serve as tangible and visible expressions of changing material values, fundamental spiritual concepts, and, ultimately, the way people live. This architecture is consciously designed, assembled, and executed by the rural inhabitants themselves to meet their needs.
Today, the significance of rural architecture has not diminished compared to one or two decades ago; rather, it has increased. Rural populations constitute about one-third of the total population of the country. However, despite more than four decades passing since the Islamic Revolution, poverty remains evident in many villages.
Over the past two decades, the government has made rapid efforts to invest in and transform the physical landscape of rural areas. While state interventions in rural communities have expanded significantly, unfortunately, there is no specific theoretical framework to support and justify these interventions.
This book aims to convey a simple yet important message to its readers: "Rural architecture is a complex subject and should not be oversimplified." Unfortunately, many professionals still do not acknowledge this point and consider it a repetitive topic lacking practical significance. Meanwhile, there are countless regrettable examples: villages that have undergone structural reinforcement but have been abandoned by their residents, who instead rebuild their shelters using local materials and traditional methods.
Today, the scientific study of rural architecture has become even broader than it was ten or twenty years ago. Significant steps have also been taken to address these challenges, including various publications by the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution.
Before the Islamic Revolution, the study of traditional and indigenous architecture, including rural architecture, had little prominence in Iranian universities due to the influence of curricula adopted from foreign institutions.
However, the Islamic Revolution, which aimed to support the oppressed segments of Iranian society—particularly the rural population—required a comprehensive revision of all societal structures to adequately address their needs. This revision extended to educational programs, emphasizing the importance of rural architecture for understanding, improving, and enhancing rural living conditions. As a result, the study of Iranian rural architecture became a key part of architectural education, with the introduction of two dedicated courses: Rural Architecture I and Rural Architecture II. This book not only presents topics that were discussed over two decades (1356–1376 in the Persian calendar, corresponding to 1977–1997) as part of the Rural Architecture I seminar at Shahid Beheshti University but also serves as a historical account of the establishment and evolution of these courses.
The book is structured into six chapters and primarily focuses on the analysis of various examples of rural housing and village layouts in Iran.
Students and enthusiasts can purchase the book by visiting the Sales Office of the Scientific Works Publishing Center at Shahid Beheshti University, located on the ground floor of the Information Technology (IT) Building. It can also be ordered online through the center's website. Additionally, an electronic version of the book is available for purchase on platforms such as Fidibo and Taghche.