Teheran, Iran

Concorso Designing in Teheran

Fabio Guida, Alessandro Guida., Paolo Mariani, studio mg2, Karla Roman, Ricardo Avela, studio mg2

DESIGNING IN TEHERAN Building A located in Teheran, at No. 1742, corner of Salmak St., Vali Asr Ave., Tajrish Sq. A boulevard in Teheran. A multifaceted ever-changing urban landscape located at the foot of beautiful mountain slopes. An angular building, a contemporary icon and a means of communication for an international world-known brand. The project, focused on the concept of contrast, faces the search for architectural solutions by putting together contrasting characteristics such as: A pierced semi-transparent sheet metal skin, which filters the light (POROUS/OPAQUE) Screened commercial spaces, yet visible at a distance (PRIVATE /PUBLIC) Fortress-like volumes that seem to hover over the ground (MONOLITHIC/LIGHT) Sombre grey outside, colourful transparent glass inserts (NEUTRAL/COLOURFUL)

The sheer monolithic appearance of the building, with its three asymmetric towers and multilevel terraces, is a reminder of the country’s castles and fortresses. Its shape, with its homogeneous proportions, characterised by the principle of symmetry and anti-symmetry, expresses the power of technological innovation. The building’s technological skin can be seen as a covering element that reveals however its structure by conforming to some fundamental elements of Iranian architecture, as defined by Richard Nelson Frye in terms of introversion and minimalism. The pierced sheet metal on the southern, eastern and western facades acts as a sun screen, which protects the building from the heat in the summer and takes advantage of the sunshine during the cold season. The sheet metal is light grey. Through the sheet metal we can see the colour of the interiors, of some glass elements in openings in the facade, and on the back of the building some structured glass elements in various hues of blue, turquoise, white and transparent. The night illumination helps to reveal the colour hidden beneath the covering veil during the day. On the boulevard side a green area with low bushes serves as a screen that must be crossed in order to reach this protected, eco-sustainable building. The foyer and the little garden beyond the stairs and the elevators are inspired by Persian architecture, which is characterized by rectangular courtyards and entrances. The stores are conceived to relate both to the existing Benetton corporate brand and chain stores and to the cultural context they are located in. The two level commercial spaces are highlighted by the volumetric articulation of the façade, which emphasizes the set design effect of the internal space that can be seen from the outside. Tall show totems that rise within the shops are clearly inspired by pigeon houses, an example of Iran’s typical architecture.

plan

plan01

floors

Section - Elevation

offices

Store benetton

sketch

Europaconcorsi Beta

Concorso Designing in Teheran