Teheran, Iran

designing in Teheran

dress up

de pretto serge, François Pierre, Joshua Florquin

A project for a mixed activity building in Teheran for the Benetton Group should answer to different objectives : First of all the need for a coherent urban integration as for a cultural and technical context, secondly an elaboration of a recognizable clear sense of identity . Facing these objectives, the decision to create a simple and contextual architectural project, a symbolic urban sign, clearly recognizable programmatic purposes and full of environmental technologies as simple as efficient. Simple in it’ s strong morphology that develops open public terraces with different heights throughout the building, and in it’ s cantilever volumes that give the building a sculptural dimension which makes it highly recognizable on a urban scale. Contextual because of the glass facade of the buffer volume that assumes the buildings modernity and refers to the cultural context : the pattern printed on the facade like a giant “moucharabié “ that filters the sun light, while creating views towards the city The proposed area for the building B makes an angle with VALI ASR street. This difficult position gives to the 50m long, 30m wide site only two facades with natural light and a difference of height between the two streets. When interpreting these urban constraints we decided to clear a piece of the site in order to obtain a volume that contains 4 natural light receiving facades, while keeping the street angle of the site. To obtain these facades we positioned the 300sqm green area along the blind walls of the two adjacent plots. This creates an urban passage, like a covered street in continuity with the existing public street. This passage allows the access to the shops and offices from the street and resolves the difference in height between the two streets. The built volumes translate themselves in two different languages : the first facade in screen printed glass constitutes the skin of the buffer volume revealing elementary volumetrics. Inside this box is set a simple and rational structure. This structure is held by a metallic framework, allowing it to uphold overhanging volumes of concrete tiles and clusters, stabilizing the hole. This design allows the constitution of large platforms. From these platforms the withdrawal of volumes and surfaces are rendered possible so as to constitute the required entities while giving to the building strong and expressive volumetrics. This design, more complex than the first skin, is made possible by the rational system of the structure. Also, the volume withdrawals allow for the creation of semi-exterior spaces integrating gardens and appropriable terraces. The volume of the apartments located at the top of the building are exterior to the main volume to benefit from exterior spaces. The building works as an intelligent and efficient climatic tool. The first element of this tool is the setting of a buffer volume who’s function answers well to the climatic needs of a city like Teheran. Constituted by a screen printed glass facade that works like a city scale “moucharabié”. This facade allows warmth in the winter and fresh air in the summer. This first device is completed by mobile blinds in front of the glass frame of the building. They allow the precise adjustment of in-going light. The setup of the glass frame allow the cool or warm air of the buffer volume to filter inside the building. This design in it’ s hole gives the occupants high confort and allows for low energy consumption.

Europaconcorsi Beta

designing in Teheran