Exploring, Revitalizing, and Applying Indigenous Knowledge of Natural Colors in University Architectural Education

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art &Architecture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22091/ethc.2026.15483.1078

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to revisit, revive, and operationalize indigenous knowledge of natural colors in architecture. Its primary objective was to prevent the loss of this ancient heritage and transfer it to the context of university education. Accordingly, the ways in which this knowledge could be employed in the expression of architectural ideas were examined through a practical architectural education process involving students.
Materials and Methods: This study employed an integrated theoretical–practical approach. In the theoretical phase, the foundations of indigenous knowledge of colors, methods of extraction, and the historical applications of natural colors in art and architecture were identified and reviewed through library research. In the practical phase, the findings were creatively reconstructed and implemented within existing workshop courses in the architectural education curriculum. In these workshops, students were entrusted with the process of producing and applying natural colors.
Results: Using participatory and exploratory learning approaches, the process of producing colors from approximately 20 plant-based and natural sources was carried out, of which 15 are presented in this article. Subsequently, the students experimentally discovered and applied processes of color rendering and coloring in the expression of architectural ideas.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that revitalizing indigenous knowledge through experiential education can not only contribute to the preservation and transmission of this heritage but also enrich students’ understanding of color as both a material and a process, thereby enhancing their ability to express architectural ideas. This approach can serve as an innovative, indigenous-knowledge-based educational model for integration and further development within architectural education curricula.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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