Ancient Refrigerator (Earth Architecture): A Sustainable Solution to Desert Architecture in Iran—Case Study in Kerman

Utilizing available climatic factors for making necessary heat or coldness was one of the main factors of traditional architecture in Iran which is located in a hot and dry region. Typical of this climate is in Kerman, the largest state of Iran including 7 cities and 3 different types of climate. This diversity in climate of Kerman made special necessities that could be satisfied with solutions of Iranian traditional architecture. One of such solutions was Ice-pit that was a place for keeping ice and was used in some cities of Kerman with hot and dry climate. By using traditional ice-pits, the ice was produced in winter and saved for using in summer. Technically speaking, its system depends on the transfer of temperature in the form of radiation from the water surface to the clean and chilly sky at cold winter nights. From this point of view, there is a need to examine early architecture in Iran and especially in Kerman because this kind of architecture in the state of Kerman, in its approach to "harmony with diverse nature", has developed a unique architectural culture. As a consequence, Iranian traditional architecture has diverse capacities to control the architectural environment in harmony with nature and these capacities can be used.