Unchecked, car-oriented expansion has diminished Tehran’s liveability, leaving few spaces for citizens to pause and interact. A project initiated by a group of urban specialists and the previous municipal administration is seeking to foster a 'pedestrian-oriented city' by activating underutilised or low-quality spaces - from parks to underpasses - to become vibrant urban nodes. The success of this first project’s implementation was crucial to the concept’s advancement. Among the triangular site’s existing structures were a low-quality, cube-shaped glass entrance enclosure with a single door for passenger entry and exit, and scattered metro infrastructure. The client initially requested a basic pavement design due to budget constraints, but the architects succeeded in persuading them to endorse a more impactful approach. Arched vaults establish a strong visual connection across the different levels. Quickly and economically built of handmade brick by experienced locals, they revive a once-prominent but latterly neglected local material and evoke historical Iranian architectural forms. Height variations produce an air- and light-permeable roof that mitigates traffic noise, harmonises the environment and fosters an inward-facing, sheltered, liveable space that has become a social hub.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture