The Integration Between Water, Architecture, and the City Before the Modernization of Water Supply in the Larestan Region*

Abstract

AbstractThe bilateral connection between water and Iranian cities has made development and continuity of settlement possible over many centuries; In the contemporary period, the water supply system was dominated by technology, and as a result, the relationship between settlements and this vital element underwent a fundamental change. The great challenge of water shortage, which is the result of breaking the biological-cultural relationship of several thousand years of Iranian people with the territorial component of water and the methods of obtaining it, is now the most critical situation in the territory. Residents of the south of Fars province (Larestan) have found sustainable solutions for obtaining water according to geographical and climatic conditions, which are being forgotten in the contemporary era.Recognizing the link between the components of the water access cycle and the formation of the urban fabric in old Larestan is the operational goal of the research. For this purpose, the traditional water techniques and structures before the modernization of the water supply system of the Larestan region were investigated using a qualitative method.The main result of this research shows the structure of the ancient cities of southern Fars province has been influenced by natural and artificial hydrography and underscores the development of the fabric. The information obtained showed that the settlement in this area was based on the two principles of flood water storage using traditional water structures and its distribution method and created a balance between the city and nature.

Keywords

• urban water supply system
• water extraction
• urban structure
• larestan