The ‘Khovon’ Decorative Brickwork Technique in Architecture of Dezful

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Abstract

Architecture is an art, which has always been enriched by the cumulative experiences of people in different ages. The historical and traditional urban fabric after a long passage of time some has possessed a balance that in the best way responds to the climatic and cultural circumstances. The rich urban fabric of Dezful City is no exemption and its Brick Architecture is an outstanding feature of its harmonious urban form. The practice of brick in Iranian Architecture has been the topic of many books, articles, however the share of Dezful’s unique brick architecture has been very limited. This study aims to document and examine brickwork typologies in Dezful urban fabric applied in residential buildings, facades and occasionally wall linings of passages. This documentation has been accomplished using descriptive-analytical method compared with written resources and library documents and field studies. In this study, based upon evidences from 65 decorative inscriptions of ‘Khovon’ brickwork technique, attempted to categorize their typologies with respect to the geometry and configurations of recurrent patterns. identification of these complex brickwork decorations with respect to the number of their components, are among the outcomes of surveying and drawing all observed inscriptions on checkered and angular squares of 45 degrees rotations. In addition, the unity and coherence of these brick patterns form a unique type of brick cornice that is very difficult to take them apart both structurally and perceptually.

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