Yazd Commits Itself to Promoting Adobe Structures

TEHRAN(Basirat): The central Iranian city of Yazd, which is known as the world’s first adobe city, has given the UNESCO a commitment to promote construction of adobe buildings and structures both inside the city and in other parts of the world.

As part of this commitment, an international workshop was recently held in Yazd to introduce adobe architecture as a solution to the environmental challenges. This was the first time that Iran was hosting such a workshop.

The event was also attended by advisor to the General Manger of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property known as ICCROM.

Mariana Corea, the chief of ICOMOS International Scientific Committees also was among the participants.

Representatives from 30 countries including the Philippines, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Portugal, Algeria, Germany and Iran took part in the workshop.

In recent years, Iran has faced environmental problems in the building industry, and the solution that Yazd has set forth is adobe architecture.

The workshop was held to introduce the adobe architecture and sustainable structures and to examine its maintenance challenges.

Seyyed Mostafa Fatemi, Director of the Cultural Heritage Department of the province, in an interview with ISNA pointed to the importance of holding the first international workshop on adobe architecture saying that one of the most important features of the workshop was the presence of some of the most prominent international experts in the field of architecture which led to the transfer of experiences.

"Due to the rich background and the sustainable adobe architecture of Iran, our country is committed to and responsible for transferring its experiences in the field,” he went on to say.

Mohsen Abbasi Harofteh, the head of Cultural Heritage Base of Historical City of Yazd, says Iran and its government have given the UNESCO a commitment to continue constructing structures through adobe architecture.

"If we do not fulfil our obligations, we would be held accountable by international institutions. In other words, we cannot be benefited by the registration of our sites, but not be committed regarding its costs.”

Abbasi Harofteh also called adobe architecture one of the most enduring and environment-friendly architectures noting that a key challenge in the world today, which is serious in Iran, is the environmental issues of producing construction debris and the energy wasted for the construction industry.

However, adobe architecture is one of the alternatives to save environment, he concluded.