Analysis of the concept of " Typology" in vernacular architecture to categorize rural housing types in Iran

Providing appropriate rural housing in the country is a critical and ever- increasing demand. Solving current problems in terms of quantity and quality in the rural housing prospects of the country requires essential research and planning. The first step in any type of planning towards improving or rehabilitation of rural housing conditions in Iran demands comprehensive and macro level information and an overall correct classification in the territorial rural geographic zone of the country. Reconstructions and innovations of vernacular rural buildings in recent decades، beside importance of recognition of the sustainable values of these types of buildings have increased the need of documentation for them. This documentation is dependent on understanding the traditional and sustainable patterns of housing which can lead to “housing typology”. This paper’s effort is studying the concept of “housing typology” in the first step. In the next step، different methods of housing typologies in the world and specially Iran have been studied and a category of them has been provided. Accordingly، methods of housing typologies have been divided into the following three categories: - Categorizing building types according to one or more effective factors- Process and historical phenomenology of housing formation- Problem solving approaches in housing formationIn continue، dependent and independent effective variables in housing types have been provided and regarding to interaction between variables، an approach for categorizing building types in villages of Iran has been presented. This approach is in accordance with specific definition of housing typology. As the result، what is known as a sustainable housing “type” is the one that is in fair compatibility with the surrounding environment; it is only in this case that it will last and it may be named a noble housing type. Any physical differences in the housing form in a zone may not be considered as an «authentic type» and should be examined in conjunction with the factors affecting on formation.