Tending to the main human needs  is of the topmost objective and strategy of rural developments. Housing, as one of these needs,  would reveal the changes and transformations due to different strategies of development. These transformations may show social – cultural situations, religious beliefs, income amount orthe general level of development in the society ,  or they may act as major factor in stability or instability of rural settlements, and at last, they may gain primacy in the process of rural development. For this reason, regarding deep relationship between housing and the process of development in rural settlements, the study of structural and functional transformations of these residences is of major importance.

After the earthquake of the  region known as  Zirkooh in Ghayenat County in 1997, residences and traditional fabric of many of rural settlements, including Shaskooh rural district were damaged seriously  or destroyed. Then, local residents and related organizations took charge of the restoration process.

The results of the research on which this paper is based on were gathered through the study of corporeal changes and functional  alterations of rural housing in the mentioned region.

For this purpose, an applied research has designed to address the issue with a quantitative approach using descriptive-analytic methods and deep observation. The study has relied on both document analysis and field observations. The numbers of samples was determined by Cochran formula, based on which 294 families were chosen . Analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software and Paired-samples T Test of relevant samples.

General results show that with respect to physical – corporeal indicators of rural housing no meaningful change has been diecerned. Some samples show a decrease in the physical dimensions of rural residences. From a functional point of view, the common pattern like before is comprised of living quarters, service areas and space provided for domestic livelihood functions. The study confirms the fact the highest percentage is allocated to living quarters both before and after the earthquake.