Yakhchal Office Building, Faramarz Sharifi

Project Name: Yakhchal Building \ Function: office Building
Lead Architect: Faramarz Sharifi \ Client & Contractor: Hassan Tajeddin & Associates
Design Associates: Mehran Parnian, Mehdi Mehran Nikoo, Hamid Bagheri
Structure Consultant: Korous Etaati \ Mechanical Consultant: Mahmoud Zaribaf
Electrical Consultant: Behzad Mahmoudian
Area: 1335 sqm \ Date: 2007- 2010
Location: Gholhak, Tehran, Iran
Photographs: Afshin Ghaderpanah
Website: www.denoconst.ir – www.faramarzsharifi.com

this building was initially designed and built to be used by five architectural offices. The building consists of three 150sq.m. and one 75sq.m. apartments as well as one 225 msq.m. duplex, which is the personal office of the designer and builder. The units have been devised in an open plan shape and all installations and electrical requirements have been predicted and devised for an open plan office.
Due to some existing old trees on the land, the building is situated in the center of the plot, instead of its ordinary location which should be the northern section, and the structure has experienced recession from all four sides. Horizontal and vertical accesses are situated in the western facade and the staircase in the form of a glass shell in the south-west corner of the building, has been turned into a significant element.
In this building, which has been designed with a modern approach, the structure is completely exposed. There are four different elevations consisting of openings and a variety of juxtapositions. Instead of a stone plinth, concrete walls have been used where the building reaches the ground.
The south elevation is more prone to the public view because of the adjacent one-way street (south to north); therefore, it has big openings with a mobile wooden shell. The north elevation has horizontal windows. Exposed beams and columns bind all these four sides together.
There is a dining area and a power room on the roof. The composition of the power room with the vaulted pergola over the dining area and the surrounding trees has created a soft and tender atmosphere, which enjoys a very attractive view of northern and southern Tehran. The power room is transparent with glass walls.