Formulating Health-Oriented Principles for Selecting Building Materials Based on Evidence from Iranian Traditional Medicine Texts
Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History,
Vol. 18 (1405),
4 Farvardin 2026
,
Page 1-11
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v18i.48549
Abstract
Background and Aim: Architecture and health are two interconnected concepts that have long been emphasized in various civilizations. In Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM), the relationship between the living environment and human health is important. Building materials, as the primary constituents of the living environment, play a decisive role in providing or threatening individuals' health and it appears that selecting appropriate building materials is a key factor in designing the built environment. This article aims to investigate the impact of building materials on human health according to ITM sources.
Methods: This qualitative research, using content analysis and relying on evidence from valid ITM sources, examined the impact of building materials on various aspects of health from the perspective of Iranian Traditional Medicine to derive a model and principles for selecting suitable materials.
Ethical Considerations: Honesty and fidelity in citing historical sources and documents were observed in this research.
Results: The results indicate that building materials, based on their four primary qualities and intrinsic properties, can influence an individual's temperament (warmth/coldness and dryness/moisture), as well as the air, humidity and temperature of the environment, thereby affecting the residents' health. In such a way that foundational, consumable and installation materials directly impact human health by affecting the air and water used by individuals. Furthermore, based on their physical and chemical properties, and by indirectly influencing the drying process of the building, they can increase or decrease its time to occupancy and affect human morale.
Conclusion: Utilizing materials aligned with temperament principles can enhance quality of life and prevent many diseases. Therefore, by adapting building materials based on the components emphasized in ITM including the temperament of materials and individuals, space function, and individual condition, with climate as the overarching key factor, it can provide a health-oriented and healing environment for people. In this regard, it seems that using warmer materials like natural wood in interior design for individuals with a cold temperament and using materials with a colder temperament compared to natural wood, such as plaster or wood products, for individuals with a warm temperament is more suitable. Also, using materials with low water absorption, like porcelain ceramics and refractory bricks, seems more appropriate for individuals with a moist temperament, while using clay bricks and conventional ceramics appears more suitable for individuals with a dry temperament.
- Building Materials
- Iranian Traditional Medicine
- Health-Oriented Architecture
- Healing Architecture
- Persian Medicine
How to Cite
References
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