Presentation of the institution
Esfahk Mud Center was established in 2015 by architect « Pouya Khazaeli » with the aim of reviving traditional clay and mud construction in Esfahk Village. We aim to learn from the past and discover innovative ways to utilize these materials. Our goal is to inform people about the significant local traditions and skills that have enabled individuals to thrive in this challenging weather for an extended period.
We are on a journey of research on raw earth in our building projects. We hope that what we learn can benefit communities worldwide. We’re not just focused on Esfahk, our aim is to provide guidance wherever people need sustainable ways to live with nature. Come join us in exploring the past, dealing with the present, and creating a future where earth architecture leaves a lasting mark.
Educational activities
Here are the courses of our center E.M.C that we offer each year in our center:
- Hands-on construction of free-spanning adobe vaults
- Production of Mud-bricks including the related tests in laboratory
- Hands-on construction of vaults and their combination according to Iran tradition any by using Gypsum formwork.
- Lime based plaster according to tradition in different parts of Iran.
- Involving in real renovation process of traditional adobe buildings in Iran for training.
- Involving in construction process of new adobe structures.
- Online courses over Iranian vaults geometry, graphical statics and optimization of vaults and domes.
We also provide courses in collaboration with universities and other institutions in order to run special researches over historical building or exchange of knowledge. Example of such research based courses in our institution:
- Course for discovering the geometry and method of construction of oldest existing vault in Haft-tapeh and Choghazanbil in Iran.
- Course for statics of vault together with Satprem Maiini in Auroville that will be held this summer.
- Course with Shiraz university and also with Takht-e-Jamshid near Shiraz-Iran.
- Lecture series in collaboration with contemporary architects association of Iran.
Photo gallery

















More informations
Website: www.esfahkmudcenter.org
Email: info@esfahkmudcenter.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mud.esfahk/
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
AE&CC (April 23, 2025). Esfahk Mud Center. The UNESCO Chair. Retrieved June 21, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/13sot