In traditional

Persian architecture Iranian architecture or Persian architecture ( Persian: معمارى ایرانی, ''Memāri e Irāni'') is the architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its history dates back to at least 5,000 BC ...

, a kucheh or koocheh ( fa, کوچه), is a narrow especially designed alley.Fallāḥʹfar, Saʻīd (). ''The Dictionary of Iranian Traditional Architectural Terms (Farhang-i vāzhahʹhā-yi miʻmārī-i sunnatī-i Īrān )''. Kamyab Publications (). Kāvushʹpardāz. 2000, 2010. Tehran. US Library of Congress LCCN Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010342544 pp.182 Remnants of it are still seen in modern

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

and regional countries. Before modernization,

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

's old city fabric was composed of these narrow winding streets, often made with high walls of

adobe Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for '' mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of ...

and

brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

, and often roofed at intervals. This form of urban design, which was commonplace in Persia, is an optimal form of desert architecture that minimizes desert expansion and the effects of dust storms. It also maximizes daytime shading, and insulates the “fabric” from severe winter temperatures. Image:Architecture58.JPG, An example of how Kuchehs were roofed. Sometimes, such as in Isfahan, the kucheh was roofed for much of its span. This example is in Nain. File:کوچه باغ.jpg, A Kuche-Bagh (Kucheh + garden) in

Najaf abad Najafabad ( fa, نجف‌آباد, also Romanized as Najafābād) is a city and capital of Najafabad County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 293,275, in 90,158 families. It is located west of Isfahan and is inc ...

. Image:Koocheh Amerian House.jpg, The high walls of the Koocheh provided relief from dust storms and intense sunlight. This was an efficient and ancient form of urban design in Persia. Image:Kucheh yazd.jpg, A Kucheh in

Yazd Yazd ( fa, یزد ), formerly also known as Yezd, is the capital of Yazd Province, Iran. The city is located southeast of Isfahan. At the 2016 census, the population was 1,138,533. Since 2017, the historical city of Yazd is recognized as a Wor ...

References

Architecture in Iran Pedestrian infrastructure Islamic architectural elements Islamic architecture Streets by type Passive cooling Passive ventilation {{Iran-stub