Shading effects upon cooling house strategy in Iraq

Macroclimatic forces have been important factors ever since man first constructed shelter. Throughout architecturalhistory, local buildings have used great in providingthe most comfortable internal conditions possible within the exigencies and constraints of local climate.The habitual living way in Iraq is accurately reflected in the households organization, in their volumetric configuration,in the forms of useful locations they engender. Houses are compact with interior courtyard; the streets are sinuous and pass through houses volumes. The shadyinterior courtyard has the effect that the rooms do not communicate directly with the overheated air outside, but through intermediate buffer spaces. In the mean time between courtyard and street at least a wall or a building is always interposed. This isolation from the street indicatesconcerns for defense. The architectural elements are strongly decorated, reproducing special typologies and traditional houses. The socials relations are strong, a situation which leads to personal-social spaces.The shadow is wanted to create both by means of architecturaldetails and volumes, which have become a landmark of the local architecture specific character, and by means of natural elements (vegetation, water, etc.). The northern orientation is perfect for the summer functional rooms.