Udlajan District, Tehran, Iran | 2015
Situated in the historical Udlajan district of Tehran, surrounded by time-worn buildings, this project is designed as a mixed-use habitat tailored primarily for local merchants. Bahareh developed the program to include educational and commercial spaces, ensuring the complex serves both its residents and the broader neighborhood.
The main challenge was to revive the area while respecting its historical context. Bahareh prioritized contextual massing, keeping the residential volumes at a low height to harmonize with nearby monumental buildings rather than dominating them. Structurally, she connected the three main volumes on the first and second floors. This decision liberates the ground level, minimizing the building footprint to maximize public green space and pedestrian flow.
The 14,000 m² site accommodates 75 residential units ranging from 70 to 120 m², with layouts developed to showcase spatial and functional variety. Recognizing the density of the urban context, Bahareh set the residential volumes back from the public streets. This creates an effective acoustic buffer, offering residents a quiet sanctuary protected from urban noise while maintaining direct access to the landscaped areas.