9 IS MORE

The Amirdasht Villa project involved redesigning a Roman-style villa whose structure had already been constructed as a concrete frame. The client’s request was to transform this traditionally classical project into a modern one.

After assessing the existing conditions and the client’s requirements, the project’s issues were redefined and categorized as follows:

Tectonic: Regarding construction techniques, a fundamental shift was necessary from classical materials, typically stone, to modern materials such as metal, concrete, and glass. Another construction-related challenge involved modifications aimed at expanding the space and mass. Given the weak execution of the existing structure, these modifications required structural reinforcement.

Program and Space: Given the proposed changes, the project’s program could be redefined so that the spatial relationships of the previous design, which were mainly based on the separation of spaces according to function, could be completely eliminated. The goal was to achieve the highest degree of fluidity and spatial freedom.

Mass: Confronted with the existing structure and layout, we encountered a classical nine-square diagram organized on a grid. The method of composition, geometry, and use of the grid could be revisited in the redesign of the villa, following the approach of modernists such as Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and the New York Five.

The development of the building proceeded in two phases. Initially, two cubic masses were extended outward from the western and southern façades of the building to break the symmetry of the classical diagram and to control southern light and oblique rain from the west, where the main entrance was also located.

Inside the villa, to achieve maximum transparency and spatial fluidity, no walls are used on the ground floor, where the public spaces, such as the living room, dining area, and reception area, are located. The only exceptions are two wooden walls extending from the upper floor to the ground floor. These walls do not reach the ground, avoiding obstruction of the views while creating a sense of suspension and lightness within the space.

The second phase involved developing a steel structure. The choice of a steel structure instead of concrete for the project’s expansion, considering that the client owns a steel-frame factory, indirectly reflects the client’s identity. The steel skeleton, as a secondary system and an independent spatial grid, extends both inside and outside the mass. Externally, it frames a tree that had been preserved on the site, while internally, it defines a mezzanine space serving as a guest room, along with a glass bridge. The secondary steel grid is exposed within the space, following a modernist approach.