Culture Bridge

Project idea

The idea of Culture-Bridge is to review Iranian traditional patterns of housing in a modern context and identify cultural factors that are effective in creating appropriate new housing patterns. This kind of approach could be helpful for empowering the identity of residential quarters.

Project description

The project endeavors to solve mass-housing problems of developing Iranian communities. For this reason, old patterns of Iranian housing called Mahalle have been studied in different areas of the country. First, key factors of old Iranian Mahalles were identified. Physical features, location, activities, nature, and meanings are the most important factors in shaping the traditional residential quarters. Next, accessibility that defines the procedure of perceiving and reaching the different parts of Mahalle and has a key role in forming the relationship between all of the physical and mental elements, was chosen for connecting all concepts and creating a strong identity for leaving in recreated Mahalles.

Technical information

The designed residential complex includes repeatable units that simplify the mass-housing constructions. All of the units consist of central courtyards that rooms turn around them and are appropriate space for planting. A garden-bridge separates units in-between each two stories of the complex and creates a path for connecting to the center of the community that is a place for all of the public buildings such as stores, clubs, and schools. The residential units are located in a U-shape layout. this creates an inside space for pedestrians and an outside area that is designed for cars and parking access. The necessary water for planting in all of the units is provided from a cycling refined water that each unit use for washing.