Expounding the Prefabricated Infill Model in Housing Development within Historical Urban Fabrics (Case Study: Yazd's Historical Fabric)

The historical urban fabrics of Iran are increasingly threatened by contemporary construction practices that often neglect the principles of Iranian-Islamic architecture. As a result, the cultural and spatial identity of these areas is gradually diminishing. This research investigates the principle of "compatibility" as a design strategy for integrating advanced construction technologies into historic contexts through infill housing. Focusing on the historic core of Yazd, which UNESCO recognizes for its unique desert architecture and the continuity of its cultural traditions, the study employs an applied, descriptive methodology. Based on the 2021 census, 10,795 households reside in the area. Using proportional stratified random sampling and Morgan's table, 384 household heads across nine districts were selected for survey distribution. Data collected through questionnaires and interviews revealed multiple factors critical to compatible infill development, including transportation systems, street morphology, proportional harmony, visual coherence, building scale, spatial continuity, land use organization, construction speed, economic feasibility, aesthetic integration, and value preservation. Factor analysis grouped these into three principal dimensions: aesthetics (mean score of 3.49), cost (3.32), and speed (3.45). The findings emphasize the need for context-responsive design approaches that reconcile modern construction demands with the preservation of heritage values. By offering empirical insights and a structured framework for assessing compatibility in historic environments, this study contributes to the discourse on sustainable urban regeneration. It provides architects, planners, and policymakers with criteria to guide infill housing strategies that maintain architectural integrity while addressing contemporary urban needs.