“The Intimate Apartment” in Lavasan is in fact a domestic apartment owned by 4 sisters who each own one of the residential floors. Their husbands are all men of culture and thought; from studying philosophy to participating in art auctions, their main request was a logical dialogue based on the cultural principles of Iranian architecture in order to reach a domestic, modern interpretation of home. We also had a particular situation caused by the location of the project which was adjacent to the small cemetery of Tok Mazra'e (which is a shrine of many well-known people including Abbas Kiarostami).
So the project was affected by different casualties and potentials coming from different directions that could be listed as below:
For creating an atmosphere of Iranian architecture we had a major concern about the enclosed open spaces. In indigenous architecture, the yard was where dwellers` communications and their shared events came into play. In this project, we aimed to connect these four domestic units through the use of terraces of different depths which open a variety of voids into each other (a synchronization of continuity and independency). This idea would make different narratives of a traditional life, happening in a modern building.
We also have a number of private terraces in addition to these domestic terraces. Despite the fact that the building is located in a height, which has a great view to Lavasan and also a beautiful lake, the location of the cemetery on the western side of the site forced us to not have any kind of openings in that area. According to this, we suggested a rotation in the general volume; not only does it have more aesthetic possibilities but also provides wide openings for the users, giving them a spectacular view while not facing the cemetery at all. Through this rotation and also the extended terraces, we aimed to create a significant situation in which there is no direct view from the neighbors, providing privacy in spaces such as yard and pool.
Considering the structural design and its mixture with architecture, we turned a challenging slope of 45% into a benefit of good spatial separation between semi-public spaces and the residential floors.
Regarding the location of the project we proposed ideas about material selection; relying on indigenous materials such as rubble stone, brick, and wood via which the building shows its great respect to its surrounding environment. There is no doubt that materials evoke imaginations and sensations that are results of unconscious perceptions, while having a significant sense of presence and interaction.
We provided a sense of Iranian houses` yards and entrances using special elements such as water and turquoise tiles.
There was a trench wall with the height of 10m on the northern side of the site, giving us a chance to have a backyard in order to provide more natural lights. This wall is the closest to Abbas Kiarostami`s tomb. As we pondered in his point of view, a wall is a curtain on which nature paints transient elevations. For us, the wall was a text that we could have inscribed it on nature as the context. So the least we could do was to transform the wall into a green surface, as a commemoration.
The pool has been designed in a way that its users could have a vast view of the lake making it seem like there is no end for the pool and its continuity has been connected to the lake and nature.
2015
2016
Structure / Mechanical Structure : Central engine room + Splint/ metal skeletons (bolts)
Location : End alley gole maryam, Sarafarazian Street, Imam Khomeini Blvd, lavasan
Area : 1447
Website / Email : www.atizist.com – [email protected]
Main Architects: Ehsan Maleki, Yekta Afarin
Design Team: Leila Bijari, Shima Zahraye, Hasan Abedi
Client : Alireza Porkasim & partners
Photographer : Studio Did
