The Residential Architecture of Qeshm Island

Three particular residential architectural types are recognizable in Qeshm Island also show- ing the development of this architecture. The oldest and most original residential example conformed to environmental condi- tions. Construction techniques and simple material used in this pattern turned it in course of time into the most popular form of residence. Doostakoo, Soheili and Basaidoo villages have more examples of the first pattern still in use today. This pattern was developed into the second type of residential architecture in Qeshm which, despite all beauty and even functionality, is scarcely used and one can see a very good example of it in Tawl Village. Another architectural element constituting an important part of Today’s Qeshm archi- tecture is the Wind Tower. It seems that the increase in communication and the availabil- ity of gypsum and tall wood in the island used for the construction of the wind tower, made its construction possible. The third pattern is the architecture of Loft, which, through a widespread use of wind tower and the hillside location of this settlement, abandoned the linear pattern of Doostakoo and Soheili houses and achieved a new form, through adaptation of the Ivan and an L and U-shaped plan and dispensing with the characteristics of House/Garden,. The important moment of this evolution is the addition of a second floor and introduction of staircase.