Architecture News

Experience the seamless fusion of design and nature: Where architecture blossoms within the orchard.

Transforming a Weekend Retreat into a Permanent Sanctuary: The Genesis of Gelareh House

Located on the fringes of Tehran, a previously modest weekend villa, originally conceived by Iranian architect Firouz Firouz, has undergone a significant metamorphosis. ZAV Architects took on the ambitious task of converting this temporary dwelling into a permanent family residence. The owners' strategic acquisition of three adjacent orchard parcels provided the crucial space for this expansion, allowing ZAV Architects to augment the 200-square-meter home while meticulously preserving its foundational structure. The design introduces a series of curvilinear, vaulted additions that gracefully unfurl from the original rectilinear volume, creating an impression of architecture actively growing and embracing its verdant surroundings.

An Organic Expansion: Sculpting Space Amidst the Fruit Trees

The newly incorporated sections are artfully situated within the existing treeless clearings of the orchard. Characterized by their soft, rounded walls and subtly tiered roofs, these additions maintain a low profile, weaving through the landscape and inviting elements of the orchard directly into the living environment. From an exterior perspective, the original terracotta-hued structure remains distinctly identifiable, contrasting with the new extensions that subtly transition into lighter shades of pink and blue. This chromatic progression is not only visually engaging but also narrates the architectural chronology, as the building's palette gently shifts, mirroring its outward expansion from the core.

Architectural Grafting: A Sequence of Overlapping Vaults

The design philosophy employed by ZAV Architects is eloquently described through the metaphor of a 'graft,' envisioning new architectural elements emerging organically from the pre-existing form. This concept is particularly evident in the floor plan, where rigid walls dissolve into an intricate, spiraling chain of vaulted areas. These sections subtly overlap and intertwine, creating intriguing slivers of natural light that filter through the interstitial spaces. Each segment boasts a unique roofline, ensuring that while rooms remain interconnected, they each develop distinct proportions and a unique atmospheric quality.

Inside the Vaults: Light, Form, and Local Craftsmanship

Within the interiors, the architectural geometry plays a pivotal role in shaping the experience. Arched apertures are a recurring motif, linking spaces with a harmonious flow, while curved ceilings ascend towards slender skylights and tall windows carved into the walls. As one moves deeper into the newer sections, blue surfaces intensify, catching and diffusing sunlight across the vaulted ceilings. Despite the robust masonry construction, the architecture exudes a sense of softness, largely due to the absence of harsh corners and the perception of one space effortlessly flowing into the next. ZAV Architects thoughtfully utilized traditional masonry techniques and engaged local artisans for the extension, embedding the innovative forms within familiar construction practices.

The Orchard as an Integral Part of the Domestic Experience

The extension profoundly redefines the interplay between the villa and its encompassing land. By strategically positioning new rooms within the orchard's naturally open areas, ZAV Architects successfully preserved the fruit trees, allowing the house to gracefully interlace with its natural setting. The layout thoughtfully wraps around planted zones, guiding circulation pathways between them and thereby drawing the garden's essence deep into the heart of the domestic sequence. As one navigates through the curved shells, the views continually transform, revealing different aspects of the property and further blurring the lines between built environment and natural landscape.

Evolutionary Design: Reflecting a New Way of Living

Gelareh House consciously maintains the visual presence of the earlier villa, even as its architectural character undergoes a dramatic transformation. Firouz's original structure remains a dense, warmly colored focal point, while ZAV's extensions expand with an increasing sense of lightness and openness as they reach further into the orchard. This entire project is anchored by the concept of 'growth' as its guiding principle, vividly expressed through both geometry and color. The house's evolution mirrors the changing lifestyle and aspirations of its owners, culminating in a dwelling that is as dynamic and adaptive as the nature it embraces.

Tato Architects, under the guidance of Yo Shimada, has masterfully addressed the urban challenge of limited space with their 'House in Musashi-Koyama' project in Tokyo. This residence, designed for a family of four, occupies a uniquely shaped plot of less than 40 square meters. The firm's innovative solution involves a spiraling, skip-floor arrangement that defies the site's constraints, creating an illusion of greater spaciousness. This design strategy not only optimizes vertical space but also fosters visual connections throughout the home, demonstrating a thoughtful approach to maximizing comfort and functionality in a dense urban environment. The structure's lightweight feel, achieved through slender beams and steel elements, further enhances the open and airy ambiance, redefining possibilities for small-scale residential architecture.

To further enhance the living experience, the architects integrated a series of strategically placed openings to invite natural light and views into the home. These openings, including a clerestory, bay windows, and a skylight, are tailored to specific orientations and domestic needs, effectively blurring the lines between the interior and the surrounding urban landscape. This thoughtful integration of natural elements, combined with the dynamic multi-level layout, transforms a compact footprint into a vibrant and adaptable living space. The Musashi-Koyama house stands as a testament to how creative architectural solutions can expand the perception of space and enhance livability in densely populated cities, making it a benchmark for future urban residential projects.

Innovative Spiral Design for Urban Constraints

Tato Architects, under the leadership of Yo Shimada, has meticulously crafted the 'House in Musashi-Koyama,' a residential marvel in a densely populated Tokyo district. This project stands as a testament to innovative urban architecture, addressing the common challenge of constructing a family home on an exceptionally compact, flag-shaped lot measuring under 40 square meters. The initial conventional approach of stacking two full floors was abandoned in favor of a more dynamic and space-efficient solution. Instead, the architects conceived a skip-floor configuration, dividing the internal space into four distinct sections arranged in a spiral. This ingenious layout fosters an interconnected flow throughout the home, allowing for uninterrupted sightlines both upwards and downwards, thereby cultivating an unexpected sense of openness and expansive spatial depth that belies the dwelling's modest footprint.

The house's layout begins with an entrance situated at the mezzanine level, accessed via a staircase that thoughtfully follows the narrow strip of the property. From this central point, the floors gracefully ascend towards a private roof terrace, while a descending staircase leads to the lower level where more private individual rooms are nestled. This intricate spiral design is not merely an aesthetic choice but a highly functional one, ensuring that despite the division of available floor area into smaller zones, the living experience feels continuous and unconfined. The visual permeability between levels prevents any feeling of claustrophobia, creating an interior environment that is both intimate and interconnected, a significant achievement in such a constrained urban plot.

Maximizing Space and Light in a Compact Footprint

The structural integrity and visual lightness of the 'House in Musashi-Koyama' are intrinsically linked to its innovative design. Recognizing that conventional timber framing might overpower the small interior, the architects opted for a refined structural system where the skip floors are supported by slender 30-millimeter-thick laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams, subtly connected with steel members no thicker than a handrail. This approach ensures that the structural elements blend seamlessly with the interior design, maintaining a scale akin to furniture rather than imposing heavy architectural features. This delicate balance allows the spiral arrangement to fully express itself within the approximate 3.6 by 6 meters and 7.2 meters high volume, creating an illusion of spaciousness without any cumbersome structural presence, and thus preserving the crucial visual connections across all levels.

To further enhance the living environment, the architects strategically incorporated a series of openings within the maximum permitted building volume, each meticulously designed to capture natural light and frame specific views. These openings are tailored to their orientation and function: a south-facing clerestory bathes the interior in sunlight, while a bay window projecting towards the north-facing park provides a tranquil seating area with exterior vistas. Another bay window in the kitchen integrates daylight with practical storage solutions. A skylight above the narrow access strip draws light deep into the house and offers an upward view, while the entrance efficiently utilizes every inch of the flag-shaped site. These elements function as extensions of the main volume, creating multiple points of engagement with the surrounding neighborhood and the sky, allowing the home to feel as if it is expanding outwards, much like a plant seeking light within dense foliage.