Hamaan Studio

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani

MALEK RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

Hamaan Studio

ARCHITECTS
Hamaan Studio

DESIGN TEAM
Annahita Shadkam, Masih Moshkforoush, Kimia Valiani

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Behrouz Shahbazi, in collaboration with Mehran Gharaati

MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Iman Emami

CLIENT
Zahra Saberianfar

PRESENTATION
Erfan Shafiee, Mehdi Tavakoli

MANUFACTURERS
Alfam, Travertine

CONSTRUCTION
Ziba Sazan inc0 m²

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Majid Khosravi

PHOTOGRAPHS
Hossein Farahani

AREA
850 m²

YEAR
2017

LOCATION
Isfahan, Isfahan Province, Iran

CATEGORY
Apartments, Residential

Text description provided by architect.

The Malek apartment building is located in ‘Malek’ neighborhood in Isfahan, Iran, on a 303 m2 lot, of which the building occupies 180 m2 as its footprint.

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani

The project mandate was to incorporate six apartments within the 4-story height allowed by the city bylaws. After much studies and analysis of various options, as well as examining the limitations and setbacks, four apartments (90 m2 each) were placed on the first two floors, while two large units (180 m2) were designed on the upper two floors.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES (CONCEPT)

The 'purely functional and spare' ideology of the Modern Architecture suggests that the house spaces can be divided into two distinct domains, namely 'public' and 'private' sections.

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani

However, the way in which the public and private spaces are connected to each other would, without doubt, affect the readiness of the inhabitants for interaction with each other, as well as the extent of each individual's privacy at the same time.

It can be argued that an overly functional divide between 'private' and 'public' spaces in contemporary Iranian houses has led to the development of excessive individualism, threatening the quality 'family life.'

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani

The project aimed at improving the human interactions among the inhabitants. Therefore, a 'spectrum of domains', as opposed to the two strict 'private' and 'public' sections, was created, including 'cozy-with-family', 'private-with-friends', 'family private', and 'alone-private'.

For example, any personal activity that does not necessarily need 'privacy' would best fit in a 'family private' space, such as recreational reading, sewing, playing, ironing, and the like.

In this, the 'public' domain plays a central role as the organizing space, centering the 'private' domains, which reflects the role of 'family' at the heart of the home (as opposed to merely functional house).

To materialize this idea, the living area in the third-floor apartment is designed at the center of the unit, while in the top unit it transfers into a cozy open space (courtyard), to bring in the sky into the living space. In both units, all other spaces are formed revolving around the central public space.

Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani

In fact, organising living spaces around a core 'public' area is nothing new, and there is historical precedent for it in the traditional Iranian Housing typology in central Iran, where the layout of houses was formed like a Greek cross, the center of which was where the family gathered, and rooms located in each arm of the cross.


Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
© Hossein Farahani


Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Green and Roof Spaces Diagram and Photos
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Units Distribution Diagram
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Location Map


Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Central Organization Diagram
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Current Iranian Apartment Diagram
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Spectrum of Domains Diagram
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Skins Forming Diagram


Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Section A
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
North and South Elevation


Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Ground, First and Second Floor Plans
Malek Residential Building In Isfahan
Third, Fourth and Roof Floor Plans

Hamaan Studio
T +98 31 32229883
Hamaan Studio
Isfahan, Farvardin alley, Beheshti Nejad St, MM4F+6R6, Iran