AB-ANBAR: A SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL METHOD FOR WATER RESERVATION IN HOT-ARID REGIONS OF IRAN

Abstract

The traditional architecture of Iran has always been rational and in harmony with the environment and climate to meet the needs of the people. Iran’s vast plateau locate in an arid and semi-arid region of the world. They have also made the best initiatives with the least means without harming the environment. We can say that the Ab-Anbars, which were built in the arid regions of Iran to store water during the rainy season and to use it during the rest of the year, are a climate-responsible architectural design method. In ancient Iranian beliefs, traditions, religion, and culture, water was a holy subject carrying high value as a vital matter for human life. Due to the inefficient annual precipitations, unfavorable distribution of surface water, fluctuation of seasonal streams, and fulfilling water demand: ancient Iranian have provided unique methods for optimizing water utilization. One of the unique ways of optimizing water conservation is using an architectural method, the construction of underground water reservoirs or Ab-Anbar. Ab-Anbar is a roofed underground water cistern. These Underground buildings are historical hydraulic structures for drinking water supply. Today, most of these structures are still functional and are protected by state restoration as historical heritage. Underground water reservoirs have been built in arid regions, cylindrical, sometimes rectangular, and completely buried inside the ground. Access to the water reservoirs is via an underground stairway. In urban open spaces, the roof of underground water reservoirs appears as a dome roof on the ground level. The construction material used for subterranean water reservoirs was brick and a special mortar called Sarooj. Because the Ab-anbar structure is built with very thick walls and below ground level, the water remains cold. They would also build wind towers at the four corners of the water reservoir to ventilate inside the building. Within the scope of this study, the climate-responsible design principles used in Ab-Anbar structures will be examined that emerged in the hot-arid regions of Iran.