Keramat residential building was a classical residential complex on eight floors with 6600 square meters of floor area in the city of Mashhad and near the Razavi shrine. The building includes units for temporary residence during pilgrimage trips of the clients. The project was started in 2019.

With the trust of the employer group, the interior public spaces got the opportunity to design differently . These spaces included the main entrance hall, side halls, paths and corridors, the space between the units, the parking lot, and finally a brief intervention inside the units. The original plan was designed for 8 units per floor, then the number of units per floor became 6.

The main challenge was to fulfill the client’s mixed requests icluded the modern vs classic approach in the design. This duality also appeared in the building’s function. The owners’ non-permanent residence made the building between a house and a hotel. Also, the cultural context of the city should have been cinsiderd.

The refurbishment of the building emerged through these multiple tensions. The most important and difficult part was in the entrance space, the main hall. In impressive dimensions, the first step of the interior experience and the joint of classical and non-classical space. Hence, the hall was planed as a huge porch with the idea of blending contrasting design approaches.

The two side halls were designed for watching TV, relaxing, meeting, and waiting on both sides of the main hall with a transparent border. The janitor unit was in the corner of the west side hall in contact and separate access to the courtyard. At the end of the hall elevators and stairs are connected to the upper units. By widening the back aisle between the two back units, a seprate public space was created for study or relaxation room and access to the backyard.

Design process

Derived from the facade’s arches and the city’s cultural background, the roof shell was designed as a dome finished in modern style. The roof shell consists of flat levels which form an arch in simple but detailed way. Inspired by Muqarnas and Karbandi (traditional Persian architecture technique), the dome was consist of parametric cubes. Avoiding excessive symmetry and to provide lighting, a shell of lights became part of the ceiling. The roof consists of two hard and soft, wooden and light shells, completing each other in opposite directions.

The main counter landed from the dome and the back wall lines inversely move from the floor to the ceiling. A full glass wall between the outside and inside became a clear sign of approach change. The side halls were inspired by the main hall but gradually became simpler. Other spaces are getting more and more minimalistic up to the units.

By widening the corridors the space between the units got enlarged. In the basement dead corners, optimal use was made by creating restrooms, services, and warehouses.

Drawings

Photos