• NIMA MIRZAMOHAMADI

  Dehkadeh town , Fardis , Karaj – 2022

  300 m²

  Residential

  Built

 Credit :

- First place winner of the International Brick Award -2023

- First place winner of the National Award for Fine Buildings- 1402

- Winner of special mention of the 11th International Interior Design Award

An IWAN is a sitting place that is higher than its surroundings, which is usually built in the outer part of a building, that has been used in ancient architecture of IRAN. The IWAN usually consists of a single arch, enclosed on three sides, and open to the nave. The most famous example of an IWAN is Iwan Kasra.

This project is an exercise and experience to connect one of the most prominent architectural archetypes, IWAN, to a dilapidated villa, which itself belongs to the period of the introduction of modernism before the Islamic revolution; 50 years have passed since the construction of this villa, it is located in a genuine urban context, DEHKADEH village.

Our first visit to this old building reminded us of an extremely depressing shelter, with a roof that was so short that even the pleasant trees in the yard could hardly be seen, in combination with the thick walls and small windows.

The roof of the entire building could not be raised, but if we could raise the living room facing the courtyard, it would be a great gain. Because in this small building, it was the living room that made the heart of the space.

After the formation of the main IWAN, we decided to build a similar alternative in the heart of the courtyard.

It is here that the IWAN, which has always been open from one side to the outside, opens on both sides and stands on the border between the modern pergola and the old kooshk.

Between that big arch, | IWAN |, and the small arch, | KOOSHK |, we also put a pool that is attached to their conjunction that spreads its freshness and cool between them.

With this approach, a dialectical relationship between the inside and outside of the building has emerged; the building is now surrounded by tall trees and greenery, and with its new architecture, enables for the user a constant enjoyment of nature.

The walls that were located on the north-south axis could not be removed, but we removed or moved the rest of the walls in such a way as to both increase the quality of the interior space and to remove the protrusions from the exterior form of the building, and convert it to a simple cube combined with a large arch.

Another thing we considered was to somehow add a | game | element to the space. The | swing | is one of the most ancient games of the people of IRAN. An uplifting game that has been mentioned in the poetry of many Persian poets to date.

A swing is a rope that is tied to a tree or another place on both sides, on which one can sit and move forward and backward in the air.

Here these ropes are hanging from the top of the IWAN and placed on the border between the IWAN and the pool. Swinging in this IWAN is a unique experience of oscillation, suspension, and and leap between the border of the IWAN and the pool, which playfully mixes these borders.

The presence of bricks and dealing with the details and symbols of past architecture is such that it is not an exact recreation of the past, but it shows off its original roots.

The gray cement of the facade, in addition to reminding of belonging to the present time, seems to protect the brick gem inside. An inside in which bricks cover most of the floor, ceiling and walls, to increase the warmth of the space and strengthen the connection with the past.