High Hopes Villa / Mahyar Architects

Curated by Hana Abdel
May 21

Architects: Mahyar Architects
Area: 765 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: DEED STUDIO
Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Adobe, McNeel

Text description provided by the architects. Our lives are surrounded by our dreams; our time passes in the hope of having a future and turns into memories resulting in our days being filled with the joy of past memories and future hopes. The key idea of this project was inspired by the track “High Hopes” by Pink Floyd. On the other hand, the villa’s owner was very fond if the past and would enjoy reviewing the memories of the past. This interest of the contractor in the past reminded me of the track “High Hopes”, and consequently, I started designing.

To turn this idea to reality, we used two separate procedures for the plan and volume, and then, mixed the results. The key idea of the plan is the main lines of the River Zayande-Roud which turn into plan and landscape, and in the end, the final plan is divided into three main streams of past, present and future. The main idea of the volume was initially inspired by a combination of mountain which is the symbol of ambition and an arch in the old style which is the symbol of Persian architecture, which means a combination of the past and the future. This core has moved alongside an axis in six phases, trying to imply that our dreams, in contrast with the past, have always surrounded our lives.

Also, in order to provoke a nostalgic feeling and to show the sweetness of our childhood, some symbols of old houses have been used which are in contrast with modern architecture. For example: Atrium or two-store gardens in old houses (Sunken Courtyard) The use of white, brown and green colors The use of bricks in the floor of the building, like old houses A platform for sitting and watching the outside of the building This project is situated in a recreational estate in the mountainous area of Chadgan in Isfahan, Iran.

It is located on the slope of a hill. It overlooks a lake and the city. On the other hand, this estate has some rules and regulations: The building cannot have a view from both sides The height of the building cannot be more than three meters from code zero The length of the yard in front of the building cannot be less than 12 meters There are shades installed at the spans, enabling the maximum and minimum use of sunshine during the summer and winter. Also, to provide the central areas of the building with sunlight, a glass atrium has been used.

This building is equipped with natural air-conditioning, that is, natural airflow which is filtered by plants in front of the windows. The building spans are in the direction of natural airflow. The airflow becomes cool and pleasant as a result of passing over the plants that are placed in front of the windows. Every room has a window letting the air in and another window letting the air out. Atrium acts as a chimney, sucking the air in and letting it out.