PERSIAN CULUTRAL CENTRE

TEHRAN, IRAN

Completed 1984

This Centre for conservation and promotion of cultural heritage houses workshops for master artisans and their apprentices as well as providing space for designers familiar with contemporary needs. They collaborate to create new products and contribute to the conservation, revival, and advancement of traditional fine arts and crafts. It also includes shops, exhibition spaces, an auditorium, an open air theatre, administrative offices and an art printshop.
The design of the complex honours the Perso-Islamic architectural tradition in spirit and in geometric order while giving full consideration to contemporary functions and building technology. Such choice seems ideal given the nature of the program and the time honoured congeniality that exists in the Persian urban environment between architectural space and handicrafts of the bazaar, as it does between the architect (me'mar) and the artisan (ostadkar).
The entrance courtyard (hayat), with a reflecting pool at the center, in the largest of four interconnected courtyards in the complex recalling the Persian gardens. The courtyard leads into a high-domed open entry (hashti) and further into a vaulted shopping space (bazarch'e) where handicrafts are manufactured and sold. Inspired by the ancient bazaar plan, the hallway leads to the heart of the Centre, the Hall for exhibitions and events. This domed intersection (chahar-su) demonstrates the complexity of the traditional masonry where the structural ribs adorning the dome facilitate the geometric transformation of the octagonal base into a faceted spherical dome (Rasmi Saazi). The workshops are located on both sides of the hallway (rast'e), some looking onto courtyards. Skylights at the apex of the vaults provide indirect lighting required for the artisans.