If "thinness" has been a defining feature of Eastern architecture and remains meaningful in contemporary architectural language of these lands, the fundamental issue in Iranian architecture, at least in most of its regions, has been the thickness of "walls and vaults." Abundant clay, mud, and stones were readily available, and massive vaults with high thermal capacity were suitable for bearing the load of structures and coping with extreme desert or mountainous temperature variations day and night. The "thickness," with its structural capabilities and adaptability, can open new horizons for contemplating contemporary Iranian architecture. However, challenges such as construction economics, increasing land value, material types, seismic regulations are obstacles complicating the utilization of the thickness potential in project design.