Rural communities in Iran’s cold zones, including the iconic village of Kandovan, have long leveraged distinctive subterranean “kandovan” architecture carved into soft volcanic formations to sustainably navigate environmental and socio-economic stressors. This study proposes a novel integration of vernacular design principles and resilience-focused spatial strategies to optimize rural sustainability. Employing a sequential mixed-methods design, empirical data were gathered via 20 semi-structured interviews, systematic observations of 50 traditional/modern dwellings, a stratified survey (n = 138), empirical temperature monitoring (30 days across 15 households), and geospatial analysis. Thematic coding (MAXQDA) and regression modeling (SPSS) revealed that heritage structures outperform contemporary buildings in thermal regulation (mean indoor temperatures: 17.8°C vs. 12.3°C), attributable to passive design features such as thermal mass walls, solar-oriented layouts, and optimized ventilation. Crucially, these architectural forms concurrently strengthen intangible resilience pillar's cultural identity, communal solidarity, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Statistical analysis confirmed a robust association (r = 0.74, p < 0.01) between thermal satisfaction and cultural valuation of traditional housing. Alarming generational gaps were observed, with resilience metrics among youth (mean = 2.9) plummeting relative to elders (mean=4.3), underscoring vulnerabilities to cultural attrition and tourism-driven commodification. The research positions endogenous knowledge as a critical foundation for policy frameworks aiming to bolster ecological and socio-cultural resilience in cold-climate rural settlements.