Saffron Souvenir House

Introduction

The Amiri House is related to the late Period of the Qajar dynasty and is located on Mashhad City, Navab Safavi Blvd , Navab Safavi 9. This Building was registered in National Cultural Heritage of Iran on July 30, 2005.

As it is shown in the photos, the building is surrounded by a modern commercial complex (Zamen Mall) therefore the most important designing aspect of this project was to create a reliable connection between traditional and modern architecture.

New Functionaloty

Saffron is one of the oldest hidden historical heritage of Mashhad. It is also a very valuable and well-know souvenir which tourists take from Mashhad to their own city. The Amiri house is going to present a brief process of making saffron from the very beginning of it (planting) to the final product.

Saffron and other Mashhad souvenirs will also be for sale. A coffee shop will also provide traditional beverages with saffron and other local plants to tourists and visitors.

Design Process   

First thing that draws attention as entering the house is the difference between ground level (garden) and site level which has changed over durations of time, so a new entrance in the eastern part of the building was designed to create access from the first level.

Another Important feature of Amiri historical house is the difference between two separated living zone (tabestan-neshin) for warm seasons and (zemestan-neshin) for cold seasons. We intend to create a special connection between two zones by a porch on the first level.

A tensile structure is designed to cover the house from the top to preserve it from the commercial zone.

Project Supervisors:

Dr. Parsa Pahlavan, Eng. Nazanin Haj Zavvar