Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Windows, Cityscape, Facade
© ASA North

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Brick, Windows, FacadeArgo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Facade, WindowsArgo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Brick, ArchArgo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Fence, Column, HandrailArgo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - More Images+ 36

  • Job Captain: Mehdi Holakoui
  • Project Manager: Mona Jan-Ghorban
  • Special Advisor: Amin Mahdavi
  • Concept Phase Collaborating Architect: Hobgood Architects, Patrick Hobgood
  • Design Advisor: Oana Stanescu
  • Structural Fabrication And Installation: Rasin-Sazeh Co.
  • Lighting Equipment Manufacturer: Noorsaform Co.
  • Concrete Repair And Waterproofing: Kimia waterproofing group
  • Paint Producing And Importing Company: Barad Painting Co.
  • Metal Fabricator: Rashidi Group
  • Masonry Work: Fathi-far Group
  • General Contractor : Vandad Development
  • City: Tehran
  • Country: Iran
More SpecsLess Specs
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Brick, Windows, Facade
© Ms. Ahang Ahmadi

Text description provided by the architects. Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre is a former 1920s beer distillery in the heart of Tehran that Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North (ASA North) converted into a contemporary arts center and is now the new home of the Pejman Foundation, equipped with six distinct gallery spaces & the permanent collection, library, artist residency, event spaces, private studio apartment, art-shop, VIP observation deck, offices and a non-alcoholic bar serving re-issued Argo draft beers.

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Cityscape, Windows
© Mr. Keyvan Radan

The design began with inserting new structural foundations, while retaining the expressive exposed brick load bearing walls. Five pitched concrete roof structures, shaped in the historic vernacular of neighboring roofs, float 50 cm above the existing walls, creating architectural “hats” for climate controlled galleries over the formerly exposed upper level. Diffused sunlight is let in through the split between old and new, illuminating expansive 8.5 meter high galleries.

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Exterior Photography, Facade, Windows
© ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Facade, Concrete, Windows
© ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Image 39 of 41
Ground floor plan

Former basement cellars have been converted into sunken galleries and a completely new isolated L shaped exhibition space for the permanent collection is now located in the underground level. A new 70 square-meter capsule tower located on a narrow footprint at the southern edge of the Factory, clad in diverse strata of cast in place concrete, houses a space for artists-in-residence. 

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Bathroom, Column, Arch
© ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Stairs, Handrail
© ASA North

Led by Iranian - Austrian Architect, Ahmadreza Schricker, founder of ASA North, in partnership with Hobgood Architects, who were involved in the project’s concept phase (headed by Patrick Hobgood), the transformation of Argo Factory into a Museum provides a net increase of approximately 85% to the original spaces (from 480 m2 to 1,890m2) and features three distinct event spaces: (A) a high capacity auditorium, equipped for film screening and forums, (B) an intimate penthouse level observatory, with panoramic views of Tehran and (C) a transitional grand, curved staircase—another seemingly floating insertion into the existing structure— which creates a monumental connection between the lobby and modern galleries above.

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography
© ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography
© ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Image 38 of 41
Section
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Fence, Column, Handrail
© ASA North

The new underpinning structure, designed by structural engineer Behrang Bani Adam, allows the architectural expression to maintain a restrained conversation between the old metal (halabi) roofs of Tehran houses and new floating (concrete) roofs of the museum that are the only new addition to the exterior form of the original factory. The design taps into the DNA of traditional local metal roofs and rewrites them as five performative floating roofs: each considering an unrepeated lighting atmosphere, for the cultural program underneath it.

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Windows
Before + after. Image © ASA North
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Stairs, Arch
Before + after . Image © ASA North

Argo Factory is the first private contemporary art museum to be built in Tehran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and is also one of the first venues to present more flexible spatial opportunities for artists - with more diverse ceiling heights of up to 15 meters. Argo Factory has become one of the main cultural hubs of the city and an attractor for international visitors as well and it has been cited as a catalyst for the renovation of neighboring structures, spurring cultural revitalization in downtown Tehran.

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North - Interior Photography, Brick, Facade
© ASA North

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Tehran Province, Tehran, District 12, Taghavi St, Iran

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North" 29 Mar 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/979255/argo-contemporary-art-museum-and-cultural-centre-ahmadreza-schricker-architecture-north-asa-north> ISSN 0719-8884

© ASA North

阿尔戈当代艺术博物馆和文化中心 / Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North - ASA North

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.