Distinctive Apartment Renovation in Shahrak-e Gharb Wins First Place in 1404 Architect Award (+Photo)
The Mino-An apartment, designed by Cross Architecture Office in Tehran's Shahrak-e Gharb, combining a traditional structure, a wooden volume, and natural light, won first place in the 1404 Architect Award renovation category.
Sefir Arjan - Mino-an residential apartment, known as Zanbag Pardisan project, is one of the selected renovation projects in the 25th edition of Memar Award 1404, which won the first place in the renovation group with the design of Kras and Mehrdad Makarmi. With a different approach to renovation, this project tries to establish a new connection between the existing structure and the needs of contemporary life, instead of erasing the architectural signs of the past.
The main idea of Mino-an design is based on a selective and critical look at the concept of transformation; An approach in which the relationship between past and present is redefined. Instead of abandoning the old structure completely, the designers have revealed parts of it and by adding new elements, they have provided a platform for the formation of a different experience of living at home.
In this project, the removal of extra layers and the removal of internal walls have provided the ground for revealing the spatial capacities of the existing building. The main structure of the building has been reactivated and new elements have been placed next to the remains of the previous architecture in order to allow a new use of the space without destroying the identity of the past.
wood volume; The main element of space organization
One of the most important features of Mino-an apartment design is the use of a wooden volume that plays the role of the main link between the spaces of the house. This volume consists of a set of basket-like elements that house the main functions of the house and are placed on the old structure of the building.
In addition to creating a new spatial structure, wooden volume helps to organize different parts of the house and shapes the relationship between private and public spaces. On the other hand, the visible concrete structure of the building has been preserved as a reminder of the past, and the white surfaces also play a functional role.
As a result, the interior space is formed by the juxtaposition of three main elements: the old and visible structure of the building, new wooden volume and white surfaces. Instead of hiding the past, this combination makes it a part of today's architectural experience.
Natural light and redefinition of living space
Another important intervention in this project is to change the status of the former terrace and create an empty space within it. By removing the previous cover of the terrace and replacing it with a skylight, natural light enters the deeper parts of the house and the presence of greenery on the first floor is strengthened.
This change is not only limited to increasing the brightness; It also improves the quality of communication between indoor and outdoor spaces. Natural light and plants become effective elements in the formation of living space and give a sense of vitality to a house that used to have a more closed structure.
In the continuation of these interventions, the living space of the first floor is also redefined and becomes a social area in the vicinity of the kitchen and dining area. In this way, the connection between daily activities is strengthened and the public spaces of the house become more connected.
From layering to adding new elements
The design and renovation process of Mino-an can be explained in several main steps: discarding the existing layers and revealing the old structure, creating empty spaces, establishing the wooden volume, adding white surfaces and finally introducing green elements into the home space.
This process shows that project design is not based only on adding new elements; Rather, a part of it is dedicated to removing, revealing and reusing existing capacities. In fact, the architectural intervention starts from the heart of the old structure and with the addition of new elements, it reaches a spatial organization suitable for contemporary life.
In the final design, the visible concrete structure, the wooden volume and the white surfaces are placed next to each other and form a space where the past and the present can be understood at the same time. This symbiosis forms the core of the idea of Mino-An architecture; An experience that starts from the raw body of the old building and brings contemporary life into a new framework.
Specifications of Mino-an apartment project
Mino-an residential apartment (Zanbag Pardisan project)
The first place in the reconstruction group of the architect award of 1404
Cross Architecture Office (Mehrdad Makarmi)
Paigan group (Irfan Qods, Irfan Ebrahimzadeh)
Tina Shah Nazari, Roza Bemani, Nilufar Mirmohammad Ali
Ali Saleh Bey, Berdia Kaj, Tarlan Hashemi Naji
Mino-an; A dialogue between ancient architecture and today's life
Mino-An apartment is an example of an approach in renovation that uses the remaining capacities of the building to create a new space instead of covering the past or completely replacing the existing structure. Keeping the visible concrete structure, adding wooden volume, creating skylights and strengthening the presence of green space, all are in line with this idea.
Winning the first place of the renovation group in the 25th edition of the 1404 Architect Award has also made this project one of the notable examples of residential renovation in this competition; A project where change does not mean erasing the past, but redefining it to meet the needs of contemporary life.