Overview
A Blend of Commerce and Tourism
The Iran Zamin complex, designed for commercial and tourist purposes, is situated in the historic city of Isfahan. This project is located within the precincts of Masjed-e-Mosalla in Isfahan. The complex, housed in a single-story building designated for public use, encompasses a gym, a fish market, and a variety of restaurants and cafes.
Integrating Tradition and Modernity
This structure incorporates distinctive features where the designer has endeavored to transform the project’s circumstances and challenges into opportunities. The adjacency to a religious site and the endeavor to design a tourist-oriented project for today’s diverse society, albeit with a somewhat blurred perspective of contemporary architecture, presented a challenge for the project’s architect. The architect aimed to create a space that is both appealing and functional by integrating elements of Islamic architecture and modernity.
Cultural Integrity in Design
Throughout this process, endeavors have been made to uphold the cultural and religious identity in the design framework of the complex, employing the principles of Iranian-Islamic architecture. This approach has given rise to a distinctive urban space, culminating in a sense of belonging and a unique sense of place for its users.
Modernity with Islamic Essence in Urban Design
The exterior of this complex should seamlessly integrate with the appearance of Masjed-e-Mosalla in Isfahan, presenting a captivating and contemporary image while preserving the essence of Islamic architecture in the context of modernity. The concept of blending simple and modern volumes with the principles and elements of Iranian-Islamic architecture, including introversion, grandeur, and elevating the structure, maintaining harmony, and incorporating elements such as Iranian arches, Islamic tiles, and geometric knots, was a solution considered by the project’s architect to address this challenge. Furthermore, adhering to a contextual architectural approach, a specific type of Iranian arch was chosen, and the colors and glazes of the tiles used in the facade and the surroundings of the complex have successfully established a harmonious connection with the adjacent religious space.
Connecting Users to Isfahan's Beauty and Culture
The utilization of one of the elevated terraces of the mosque could present an opportunity to offer users not just a scenic view of the city of Isfahan but also a chance to become more familiar with its religious spaces and architecture. Furthermore, these terrace levels could serve as an ideal venue for the exhibition of Iranian-Islamic arts.
Preservation and Design
The water reservoir present on the project site and the preservation of this historical-cultural structure were factors that needed careful consideration in the design process.
Another major challenge faced by this project was its constrained budget, exacerbated by the unfavorable economic situation in Iran during the years 2017-2018. This was particularly evident in rural areas, where there was limited investment, and the risk of project failures was high. To address this limitation, considerations for the future development of the project were incorporated into the design. Consequently, finalization conditions for the facade and the implementation of green roofs were established for the years to come.
