Farmanieh Club: A Narrative of Urban Re-creation
The Farmanieh Club, a multi-purpose complex featuring wedding halls and sports facilities, was established in the early 2000s. For decades, it stood as a prominent landmark within the Farmanieh neighborhood. Over time, however, its exterior became weathered, leaving behind a static facade that functioned as a silent echo of the past.
Our intervention focused exclusively on the entrance and the main facade—the primary point of interaction between the user and the building, and the element carrying the greatest weight in defining its urban identity. The objective was a form of “re-creation” that strikes a delicate balance between heritage and modernity, re-establishing a living connection with the city.
The core challenge of the project lay in navigating the boundary between preserving the building’s roots and crafting a contemporary expression. Total demolition would have erased it from the neighborhood’s collective memory, while a superficial renovation would have lacked the strength to meaningfully engage with the present.
The design solution adopted a dual approach: preserving the iconic proportions and geometry of the past while introducing a contemporary layer defined by vertical lines and minimalist detailing. This strategy transformed the facade from a silent surface into a dynamic skin, where light and shadow actively interact. Consequently, the entrance evolved from a static plane into a vibrant and inviting urban stage.
Material selection played a key role in this vision. Cement was employed as the primary medium to create a monolithic, solid volume in contemporary dark tones, allowing for a cohesive overlay onto the existing structure. This is complemented by glass at the entrance to enhance transparency, alongside metallic details integrated within the vertical lines to introduce a fresh rhythmic pulse.
The result is a facade that speaks with a new voice while remaining loyal to its history. This project is not merely a renovation, but a reimagining of the Farmanieh Club’s urban presence—a dialogue between past and present that preserves an established identity while securing its place in the future.