Kaftarkhaneh
Pigeon House | Project for Restoration Course
Fall 2017
Golpayegan, Iran
Instructor: Akbar Taghizadeh (Agha Khan Winner 2013 for Rehabilitation of Tabriz Bazaar)
Individual
The pigeon house (Kaftarkhaneh) is a remarkable example of vernacular architecture in Iran, specifically within the context of the central desert region. These structures were originally built to serve a dual purpose: to accommodate pigeons and harvest their droppings, a valuable resource historically used as fertilizer. In my project, I studied a particular pigeon house located in the Golpayegan region, one of the most fertile agricultural areas in Esfahan province. This project is rooted in understanding the interplay between architecture and its surrounding socio-economic and environmental context. By carefully documenting, analyzing, and reimagining this structure, the aim was to highlight its significance as a model for sustainable design while addressing the need for preservation and adaptive reuse of historic architecture.