Description
Yazdi’s mansion was designed circa 1985 and constructed during the late 1980s. This building resides in a 3000-square meter property at the intersection of Naharkhoran road and Alang-darreh park, Gorgan, Golestan province, Iran.
The stretched site—oriented along the east-west axis—is surrounded by the Naharkhoran road and park's main access road, on the west and east flanks, respectively. The main entrance is located on the main road, while the service access is adjacent to the park’s access road.
The building sits at the center of the site and avoids the edges to shelter from the noise pollution derived from the two major roads. Mr. Bidgoli was also commissioned to design the adjacent building on the south side of the site during the same period. This concurrency allowed him to adjust the buildings’ footprints in response to each other. He shifted the southern building towards the west to provide a delightful view of the surrounding woods as well as to maintain maximum daylight exposure for both neighbors. The negative space between the two buildings houses a private semi-open space that accommodates a swimming pool and sauna.
The facades are designed to conceive a unified and prestigious form. The architect approached this goal by composing a formal harmony between the stiff vertical masses, bold horizontal cantilevers, and carefully aligned hip roofs. He enriched this composition with local architectural motives and elements, i.e., hip roofs, ceramic shingles, and Ghazaghi bricks as the primary façade material.
Yazdi’s mansion is located near the southern coastline of the Caspian Sea, which is known for its subtropical climate zone. The building is permanently prone to high levels of humidity and seasonal rain showers. Protecting from—while co-existing with—this climate has been a primary design criterion in this project. Openings on the west and east sides were designed in a smaller size and protected by semi-open spaces—i.e., balconies—to reduce their exposure to natural elements such as wind, seasonal rain, and direct sunlight. Perforated brick screens with Laneh-kaftari (dove nest) patterns enhance the natural airflow while protecting private spaces from the by-passers view. The landscape design details are chosen with respect to the climate zone and the plants were selected from species that match the climate.
Following the architect’s signature design language, the zonings were designed primarily in section and organized around a central void, fluidly spreading across open, semi-open, semi-closed, and closed spaces. This fluidity expands to the supporting spaces as well: the pool, for instance, starts in the semi-closed space on the ground floor and crawls to the backyard’s semi-open space between the two neighboring buildings.
The central void plays a critical role in creating visual continuity in space while simultaneously serving as a central hub to access various functions. Additionally, an array of openings around the void collect fresh breeze and circulate it through the rooms. The elaborated decorative interior details on the chimneys, wooden elements, false roofs, etc., were exclusively designed for this project and orchestrate a thrilling in harmony with the interior spaces.
