Seeking Archetype of Water Storages of Qeshm Island

Abstract

Throughout history, water as one of the most important natural factors played an important role in human life. In dry and waterless areas, people have always been in difficulty to provide and maintain and distribute water, and over centuries, different strategies have been applied to use water. In this article, water storage as one of the principle strategies to use water which has cultural and social indicators and dimensions was studied. Water storage as an urban structure remained from the past, is a valuable experience of Iranian art and belief values that can be used as a cultural and natural capital. Persian Gulf Islands, because of the lack of water has numerous water storages with different architecture plans and water storage can be called as a sign of this province beside wind towers. Wind towers is a phenomenon derived from confirmation of cultural and technical characteristics of humans with the natural features of the surrounding environment. With regard to drinking groundwater tables, Qeshm Island is one of the most disadvantaged areas of the country and people could already solve some of the problems related to annual lack of water by using their natural aptitudes in building water storage and well. The building technique and the architecture method of water storage structure benefits a specific delicacy because the manufacturers of these units pay precise and discerning attention to major issues such as the level of pressure on the bottom and surface of the water storage, the problem of coverings inside the building, air conditioner, refining and preventing water pollution. Thus, in this article by analyzing water storage of Qeshm Island and categorizing them and their typology from their plans and tanks, we tried to determine the typology of water storage of Qeshm Island. According to the analysis made, Qeshm Island water storages were categorized in to main classes including water storage with circular plan and domed covering, longitudinal with rectangular tank plan and with sternum-shaped and ceiling track covering.