Project Name: Pishva House
Location: Pishva – Varamin – Tehran
Architect: Ali Haghighi Architects
Area: 450 sqm
Year: 2016-2020
Photography: Mohammad Hasan
First place in Memar Award / 2020
This House is located in a small town near Tehran, the capital of Iran. The client had to make a decision between selling his land so they could migrate to the capital and building a permanent house; a home where the family could experience a different way of life, in addition to providing tranquility.
The main goal in the design process was to create a differentiating connection between this house and its neighbors; in other words, how it is perceived in the neighborhood and how it contributes to the urban image. This house was designed on the border of separation and connection with its surrounding environment, “what can be seen and how are we observed?”
In a context where the lack of regulatory standards has caused turbulence in the urban face, our approach was to create the desired visual balance while not contributing to the aforementioned disorder.
On the other hand, the client’s desire to have the most amount of privacy in addition to a respectful presence among the neighboring buildings, led to a design emphasizing on simplicity and introversion; therefore, the direct view to the street was minimized with only one window, while the neighborhood was also given the most respect and attention by donating a part of the land to the sidewalk and creating a yard in the entrance of the house.
The hierarchy of the building begins with a stranger sitting on the platform next to the entrance. Continuing through the courtyard in the entrance, we arrive at a space greeting the visitors; a space adjacent to the pool, accompanied by the sound of water. The first floor is designed to accommodate the guests while the second floor completely belongs to the privacy of the family.
The ground floor’s courtyard has become a secluded and relaxing landscape with a pool and a small yard, while the roof becomes the functional courtyard of the house by taking advantage of the space created by the height of the Parapet; For this reason, the elevator goes up to the roof of the house as well as the stairs that hold a special importance to the center of the interior space.
The skylight placed on the stairs accessing the roof has increased the amount of the natural light of the general spaces while also creating various scenes with light and shadows. In addition to the aforementioned qualities, the central skylight also provides direct light and fresh air to the youngest child’s bedroom.
In this project, we approached the temporary side views and the abandoned north view of the southern neighbor with the same care and attention as the main facade. All the facades were covered with white cement and due to financial issues, the final coating was postponed to the future.
Pishva House has gone beyond meeting the demands of the client and with its solemn simplicity, has become a turning point for the land and its value.
