Windbreakers-Towers of Yazd

Windbreakers-Towers of Yazd are one of the symbols of Iranian architecture that are currently being built on houses in some parts of the Middle East. Windbreakers-Towers of Yazd are tall mansions built to ventilate and cool a house on its roof. Windbreaks are also built on top of reservoirs and openings for ventilation.

These mansions are the basic type of cooling systems today that cool the air in homes. Cool air was transferred to the rooms as well as parts under the ground through these wind deflectors. It is not clear exactly where the first Windbreakers-Towers of Yazd was built, but this structure represents Iranian civilization.

Windbreakers-Towers of Yazd are made in different shapes in the central and southern cities of Iran, each of which is designed and implemented according to the desired height and wind direction. The first Windbreakers-Towers were seen in Yazd and Kerman.

The great Windbreakers-Towers of Kerman’s Grand Bazaar, the windbreak of Dolatabad-Yazd Garden, the left windbreak of Sirjan and the windbreaks of Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lengeh, Qeshm and Sistan are among the most spectacular windbreaks in Iran.

Windbreakers-Towers consist of parts:

Column:

The column is actually a part of the windshield body that is located between the windshield opening and the roof of the building. Columns are usually in the form of cubes, rectangular cubes or prisms.

Blades:

are brick and brick elements that divide the interior of the windshield, especially the windshield column, into several small channels.

Mouthpiece:

The mouthpiece or ventilator is the upper part of the windshield which is the passage of air flow.

Roof:

Includes the highest and final part of a wind deflector.

Wind deflectors come in several shapes based on their appearance:

Rectangular-square-hexagonal-octagonal-circular

Rectangular:

A large part of the facade surface is in the direction of the desired wind and is often used in areas where the desired wind direction from northeast to southwest in summer.

Square-hexagonal-octagonal:

Used for areas where the desired wind direction is varied.

Materials used in the construction of wind deflectors:

 Windbreaks have been specific to hot, dry, hot and humid areas. In hot, dry, hot and humid areas, the buildings are generally made of brick.

How Windbreakers-Towers work

When the wind blows, air enters the windshield column through the openings. The air pressure is reduced by a thin wall in the middle of the windshield column so that air does not escape from other openings.

For better performance of Windbreakers-Towers and in very hot areas, they used mats or thorn bushes that were placed right on the opening and water was poured on it. It got cooler and wetter as the air passed through the mouth

Wind deflectors have wooden valves that have been used in winter to close the wind inlet to the wind deflector.

General types of wind deflectors

One-way Windbreakers-Towers:

It is the simplest and most economical type of Windbreakers-Towers. In this type of windbreak, the desired wind has an entrance path from only one direction. Another appearance of this type of wind deflectors is their low height compared to other types.

Two-way windshield:

This windshield is known as a twin windshield due to its small size. This type of windshield is more accurate than one-way windshield wipers. And it is mostly used in reservoirs.

Three-way wind deflector:

Its structure is such that the larger direction of the wind deflector towards the wind was desirable and it had more openings for air entry. If the wind was blowing from the other side, there was a possibility of favorable air entering from the other two sides of the Windbreakers-Towers.

Four-way windshield:

The windshield is larger than other windshields and is also more complex, however it is the most beautiful type of windshield. Four-way wind deflectors are made from four directions due to the favorable wind. And over time, the figures have increased from four to six and eight, and even one has been seen in a circular shape.

Left wind deflector:

In this type of wind deflector, the outer cubic space has been changed and knee-shaped pipes have been used instead.

Two-story windshield:

To build these windshields, they usually first built a large four-way windshield with all the details; Then in the middle of it, another windbreak was built one or two meters or more in height from the first windbreak. The two wind deflectors were completely independent of each other, and if one was damaged, the work of the other would not be disrupted.

Iran has a rich and varied architectural history going back over 3,000 years, and the remains of Iranian architectural monuments can be found from Syria to India and China. Iranian architecture makes uses of a great variety of techniques such as stone carving, stucco and plasterwork, tile and brickwork, mirror and glasswork, and other ornamental elements. As in any architecture, geographical, religious, political, technological, and natural factors determine the quality and quantity of architecture.

As Iranian architecture has greatly influenced its neighboring countries, windmills can be found throughout the Middle East as well as North Africa and as far as India. Iran’s wind catchers stand as a reminder of how ancient civilizations have adapted to the region’s harsh desert environment. (Tower-