‘Orsi Khaneh’ Modernizes Traditional Windows

The second stage of 2A Asia Architecture Award has accepted 88 Iranian architecture projects, accounting for more than half of the overall projects that will compete in the fall in Germany.

Total number participants in the first stage of the competition were 457, out of which 171 were selected for the award-winning section, Mehr News Agency reported.

Organized by 2A Architecture & Art Magazine, the Middle East regional source of information regarding architecture, the third edition of 2A Asia Architecture Award will be held in Berlin, October 19-20.

The award honors the contribution of an individual or a group to today’s architecture in Asia in terms of contemporary challenges in the field and lasting influence of theory and practice of architecture.

One of the Iranian nominees is Orsi Khaneh, a residential apartment block, designed and constructed by Keivani Architects.

Located in Gisha district in north Tehran, the building features faceted window frames and stained glass.

The street-facing facade of the seven-storey building is made from a double layer of heat-treated timber, inset with panes of stained glass and plants that not only serve as a decorative element but also help control temperature.

Matching slatted sunshades can be raised over the windows to further control sunlight. The large window frames are made from slabs of sedimentary stone called travertine. Their funnel-like shape helps to further reduce heat buildup.

The balconies are framed with boxes made up of travertine and are placed in such a way that the configuration implies a dynamic composition. Wooden flower boxes are also mounted on the walls.

  Special Windows

The main concept of the project originates from Iranian traditional architecture. In the past, a special type of window, locally called orsi, was made from wooden lattice and stained glass and had effective technical functions in climatic and natural light controlling.

In Keivanis’ project, a modern orsi window has been made with the aim of creating a space with an Iranian spirit which respects both mental and biological needs of the users. So the elements like water, plants, and light have been highlighted.

‘Orsi Khaneh’ won the Bronze Award at the annual A’ Design Award and Competition, 2015-2016, in Italy.

Keivani Architects Studio was established in 2009 by two architect brothers Nima and Sina Keivani. Both Nima, 36, and Sina, 30, hold a master’s degree in architecture.

Their projects include a wide range of architecture such as residential complexes, commercial buildings and restoration of architectural heritage. Aesthetic, function, genius loci and vernacular architecture form the basis of their design process.

  Distinguished  Jury Member

A three-member jury panel will evaluate the candidates at the 2A Asia Architecture Award. One of the jurors is the Iranian architect Nader Ardalan, president of Ardalan Associates in Florida.

Ardalan is an architect with a long and distinguished international career in the fields of planning, architecture and historic preservation and is a recognized world expert in environmentally sustainable and culturally relevant design.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Carnegie-Mellon University and a masters’ in architecture from the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. He has won awards at several international design competitions,

From 2006 he served as research fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University. In February, 2011, he joined the Harvard University Graduate School of Design as senior research associate. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard, MIT and Yale and lecturers widely internationally.