Current World Environment Vol. 10(Special Issue 1), Proof (2015) Features of Ecological Architecture of Iran Deserts (Using the teachings of traditional architecture) JAVAD DIVANDARI 1 , MANSOUREH TAHBAZ 2 , MOHAMMADREZA HATAMIAN 1 and MOSTAFA AZAD 1 * 1 Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran. 2 Faculty of Architecture and Urban martyr Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. doi (Received: November, 2014; Accepted: April, 2015) ABSTRACT A vast area of Iran is covered by desert areas having tough climate along with sensitive and risky ecosystem which is being lost increasingly in case of negligence and the wilderness of deserts will be increased accordingly. Such regions hold plenty of capabilities in the field of investment and tourist attractions. Moreover, it’s necessary to implement all activities conducted in the areas by the use of stabilization and desertification approaches. In this way, architecture and urbanism whether in city scales or in smaller scales such as villages and oases plays remarkable role in this matter and it is possible to go through this path by the use of construction in harmony with the natural environment. Certain requirement of sustainable construction which is compatible with the region environment is to identify characteristics of ecological architecture of desert areas. In construction terms, our ancestors also used to pay special attention to the harmony with the environment so that one of the assisting information sources in this matter is their experiences. Therefore, in the actual research after explaining the concept of “Ecology”, ecological features of Iran desert areas are extracted and categorized based on the research records and field studies of desert area in Maranjab area in order to achieve solutions in harmony with dry and tough climate. The research results suggests in spite of tough environmental situations of such areas, environmental conditions for human comfort is provided by recognizing ecological features and using engineering sciences. The main research question: What are features of ecological architecture of Iran deserts? Key words: Desert, Ecology, Ecological architecture, Ancestors’ experiences, Traditional architecture. INTRODUCTION Desert areas provide hard and tough living conditions and living there requires special measures which raise man to challenge. Due to abundance of desert area in our countries, human being is forced to find certain solutions for living in such areas. Gift of thinking which has been endowed by God to the human is a tool for finding solutions in this matter. It’s required to have comprehensive and thorough understanding over living conditions of the area in order to stylize the living conditions and to create inhibiting comforts. One of the main questions of the present research is” what are the ecological features of Iran desert areas?” that answering to it identifies environmental conditions of the area. In addition to having adequate information over the area, presence and activity in such areas requires providing shelters as well. Considering specific conditions of the area, it holds a particular architecture which must be compatible with the environmental conditions. Another question which answers to such issue is “how is ecological approach emerged in the architecture? On the other hand, “ what are the components of the ecological architecture?”