As we shared earlier this week, the Desiging in Teheran international competition urged designers to creatively rethink the potential a retail area can have upon an evolving metropolis (Grzegorz Witold Woronowicz‘s won as we reported earlier on AD). Giuseppe Iodice‘s proposal placed third as it aimed to create an architecture that ”would investigate a social, political, cultural function and become an element of dialogue between different cultures…thus assuming a role of balanced mediation between western and eastern culture without renouncing its expressive identity.”
More about the proposal after the break.
Inspired by the high mountain ranges in Teheran, the structure’s form presents itself, initially, as a monolithic mass. However, upon approaching the structure, the large form finally breaks. As light penetrates the solid components, it is evident that “inner gorges” are hidden behind the exterior. These “gorges”, and the interplay of light and shadow that they create, attract passersby who are curious about the inner-holdings of the structure. Therefore, a dialogue is created between the seemingly mute exterior of the building and its dynamic inner nature.
From a distance, the building sinks into the ground (“Teheran” itself means “going down”) to create an angular volume. Before reaching contact with the ground, the volume tapers as to create a “great sculpturesque point of view” to attract people passing through the space.
Credits
Study: iodicearchitetti (www.iodicearchitetti.it)
Architects: Giuseppe Iodice (capogruppo), Francesco Iodice, Marcello Silvestre, Orsola Pezone
Collaborators: Milena Fusco, Giovanni Di Santo, Francesco Maisto, Mario Cavagnuolo, Donatello Diana
Prize: 3° prize
Client: Benetton Group
Locality: Teheran
Date: 2009
