arash g tehrani reveals mosque complex in iran featuring smooth surfaces made of bricks

apart from a contemporary mosque, arash g tehrani’s ‘golshahr’ project in alborz, iran features a plaza, which is another challenging modernized practice of ancient persian architecture. the architect believes that in persian style mosque architecture, the mosque is never a single solitary form of a building, it’s always a part of the urban context, with an open arm in a plaza. the complex project comprises several buildings made of bricks with smooth surfaces. 

‘every land’s architecture has formed during a process of an evolution and would continue to this process,’ comments arash g tehrani’s team.

aiming at creating a contemporary, modern-day mosque and plaza without copying any forms or ornamental elements from the past, arash g tehrani wanted it to have iranian architecture spirit, attributes, and sense of persian spatial architecture. the architects kept necessary functions and attributes and ignored unwanted elements.

the site is located along one motorway and six pedestrian walkways passing through the lot, separating it into four zones. the first policy to start the design was the conjunction of the four zones into one project, both aesthetically and functionally. the main functions were located in each zone, and then the small squares were designed to conjunct the four zones. these functions are set the site to form a greater plaza and its form tries to move toward the mosque and rise for its skyline.

project info:

name: golshahr mosque and plaza

architect: arash g tehrani

design team: ghazaal la’li, marjan keshtkar, saman banaei

client: hajitarkhani foundation

date: spring of 2018

location: golshahr, alborz, iran

type: religious – cultural – public 

site area: 22.220 sqm

design area: 7428.64 sqm

studies: ghazaal la’li, sheida tavakkol

status: competition

awards: special mention – prize winner

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edited by: maria erman | designboom