Approaches to nature in Iranian traditional houses in terms of environmental sustainability

In traditional belief, therefore, the continuity and durability, or in other words the sustainability of the things, including architecture, are first based on being in harmony with the rules and principles of nature (Motahari 1988) and second being in line with the destined perfection (Tabatabai 1984). Therefore, Harmony with nature (the harmony approach) and perfecting the nature in the destined path (perfection approach) are considered as two special rules for traditional mankind in the creation of things, e.g. architecture. Architecture, as a man-made creation and part of nature, will be sustainable when it follows and is in complete harmony with the nature, and provides the ground for the perfection of nature. In traditional architecture, these two sustainable approaches are recognizable.