Stair House

Tehrān, Iran

To create a sense of spaciousness within an extremely narrow (3.90-metre) and sloping site, this residential building is set over a series of different levels interconnected by private staircases. Two triplex 120-square-metre apartments - one for the architect's parents, the other for his uncle's family - extend the full length of the site, punctuated in the middle by a patio, a shared staircase and a studio for the architect. The structure is reinforced concrete with brick infill. The facades and some of the internal walls are made of rough (and therefore inexpensive) blocks of travertine, formed experimentally on site by untrained workmen.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture