Ilam

Ilam is a city in and the capital of Ilam Province, Iran and the third biggest kurdish city in Iran. The Kabir Kuh mountain range lies east of the city. From the west it borders Iraq. The city is populated by Kurds and its primary language is Kurdish. Like many other regions of Iran the architecture in Ilam includes traditional and contemporary periods. The Governor Castle, Falahaty Mansion and The Mirgholam Castle are examples of some surviving traditional buildings in Ilam. The courtyard dwelling is the main type of the buildings of this period. This type of building was accepted as the main building type over all Iran for both climatic and cultural reasons. Brick is the main constructional material in these buildings. The passive thermal techniques indicated for the Iranian traditional buildings are commonly used in these buildings. The Governor Castle of Ilam was built in type of courtyard. Adding shade and moisture by using green landscape, high trees and a pond, were the main passive techniques used in this building to reduce the temperature in summer. The Mirgholam Castle of Ilam presents a classic Iranian courtyard. The garden and the pound were the main elements of this type of buildings. Heavy showers or snow in the winter and dusty, brutally hot, dry weather in the summer are normal for this region.