Reading the role of Afghan gender culture from the Typology of indigenous houses of Greater Khorasan (Case study: Herat)

Hosseiny Roudbary, Samira; Soltanzadeh, Hossain; Matin, Mehrdad; Mohammadzadeh Dogahe, Mohammad

doi:10.22054/qjik.2025.86182.1459

Reading the role of Afghan gender culture from the Typology of indigenous houses of Greater Khorasan (Case study: Herat)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

samira hosseiny roudbary ¹

hossain soltanzadeh ²

mehrdad matin ¹

mohammad mohammadzadeh dogahe ³

¹ Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Corresponding author, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Architecture, Rudbar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rudbar, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/qjik.2025.86182.1459

Abstract

In recent years,gender-related perspectives in diverse societies have been recognized as a significant cultural dimension shaping residential spaces. This paper aims to analyze the influence of gender culture on the spatial configuration of indigenous houses in historic Greater Khorasan, particularly in Herat. The study is qualitative, employing a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through fieldwork, documented plans, and analysis of formal and spatial characteristics of traditional houses, alongside review of credible academic and library sources. Findings indicate that the spatial configuration of traditional Herati houses reflects the structured gendered cultural system of Greater Khorasan, formed through complex interactions among environmental, social, political, and traditional factors. Specifically, case analyses show that women’s spaces are systematically designed with features such as relative seclusion, limited external visibility, and controlled access within the physical structure of houses. The physical layout and spatial organization of Herat’s indigenous dwellings confirm that vernacular architecture, as a cultural text, not only meets material needs but also encodes social values, norms, and hierarchies particularly those grounded in gender perspectives into form and space.

Keywords

Gender culture

Herat

Indigenous house

House Typology

Subjects