Persian Pioneer

Architect catches up with Maan Al-Salloum to get an exclusive look at Studio Cowi's vision for Tehran's first green building.

At the time of writing, 1200km away from Architect's offices in Dubai, United Colors of Benetton is holding a design competition for what will become the newest representation of the brand in Tehran.

Despite Benetton's history of pushing the sociopolitical envelope with its cutting-edge advertisements and organic business strategy, the architecture arm of Denmark's Cowi Group, Studio Cowi, has submitted a project that has the potential to knock the proverbial socks off the well-known Italian fashionista.

The brief was simple: Benetton wanted a six or seven storey building that would include retail, commercial, parking and a limited amount of residential space. In fact, the brief was so flexible that the client proposed two different plots in Tehran and allowed the architects themselves to choose the site which best lent itself to the architect's creative vision.

As Tehran is not known for possessing an overabundance of innovative environmentally-friendly architecture, Benetton included nothing in its brief about the new building being green. But, for Studio Cowi and Cowi Group's long history of eco-engineering and environmental consultancy, providing a green building was not only desirable but integral to its business philosophy. If chosen, Studio Cowi's will be Tehran's first self-sustainable building.

"The green design was something we decided to go with," explains Maan Al-Salloum, head of architecture and lead designer for Bahrain-based Studio Cowi. "The brief asked for a 6-7 storey building that included a variety of different space for different functions. The rest was up to the designer. The green bit is our specialty.... It's very much a part of everything we do. It's a part of our architecture. It's an attitude that resonates in every design."

Past informs present

From its orientation to its shape to its design, Studio Cowi's design draws very heavily on classical elements. Considering, for example, some of the Benetton building's geometries, according to Al-Salloum, those patterns aren't especially prevalent in that area of Tehran. "Our facade is a response to a classical element that has largely disappeared from buildings in the area," says Al-Salloum.

To understand the functionality of traditional Islamic buildings, Al-Salloum drew on his own Iraqi background and his team began studying traditional homes and how they use space in unique ways to protect the history and tradition of their users.

"The courtyard in a traditional Islamic house is a place that provides privacy but also serves as a gathering place for everyone inside," explains Al-Salloum. "Our courtyard in this building has very much become the modern cafeteria and public space. It very much becomes a public space that blends both social and retail space. Because the user in the street can access that public space, this building tries to erode any sort of boundaries that may exist between public/private space."

In order to be successful, Studio Cowi knew it needed to offer Tehran something special. It knew that a traditionally Islamic building with domes and arches would be inconsistent with the Benetton brand, but that something that bends, twists, sings and dances-similar to some of the monstrosities that can be found in cities throughout the region-would do a disservice to the surrounding context. While Al-Salloum knew he didn't want something more appropriate for Star Trek, but he also knew he didn't want traditional Tehran.

"We've evolved the idea of the courtyard and we've borrowed some popular Islamic geometry to create a sort of contemporary language," says Al-Salloum. "The building is a contemporary modern building, but I think it fits very well in the context because it includes that classical language as well."

According to the Studio Cowi proposal, the design ambition of the building can be summarized in two terms: integration and modernity. The design combines both the Iranian culture and the way Benetton's modern designs integrate with that culture and surrounding context. The skin of the building reflects the Islamic architecture that is prevalent in Tehran by employing the symbols and motifs and applying them to the building's facade.

"Our proposal embraces and highlights Iran's culture and nature," says Al-Salloum. "The biomorphic shape takes it's inspiration from the mountains surrounding Tehran. This language and cultural identity is visually and conceptually applied to the skin and the spatial planning of the building."

READERS' COMMENTS

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM