Natural and Architectural Convergence: A Model of Nature-Based Strategies in the Architectural Design Domain

Abstract

Nature is the major source and basis for architectural design. It is beyond human ability to create the same unlimited changes and dimensions. One of the key actors in minimizing negative impacts on nature and the environment is the architect. Due to the different uses of nature in architectural design and the interdisciplinarity between the approaches and aspects of nature, this study aimed to explore the contributions of nature-based strategies to the architectural design domain and identify the comprehensive relationship between nature and architecture. Through using logical argument, the nature-based strategies of architectural design were classified according to four categories of architectural design principles in a predicted model. For testing and validating the model, one strategy, which included nine nature-based approaches of architectural design with 23 aspects, was evaluated, and the scopes of the approaches were identified. VOSviewer was used for data analysis, and the survey questionnaire method was used for the focus group of architects to evaluate Erbil City’s architectural design. In this survey, 328 responses were received, which were ranked using the four-point Likert scale (most of the time, some of the time, seldom, and never), and the t-test from SPSS software was used to compare the approaches of the selected nature-based strategy. The passive design was the only approach with a positive value from the t-test (3.805) with a p-value of 0.000. Among these 23 evaluated aspects, natural ventilation received the highest mean value (1.91).