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Mansha Mansion
Mansha Mansion
Tehran, Iran
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Other Projects by Ashrafi & Zad Design
Mansha Mansion
Tehran, Iran
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
Mansha Mansion, a residential building dating back to 1940, was leased by the client in February 2024 for five years. The project program included a café in the courtyard and basement, and a cultural event space on the first floor. The main challenge was the short lease term, which required rapid construction, cost efficiency, and temporary structures. The project became operational by February 2025.
Any extensive intervention would have significantly increased costs and extended the timeline. The temporary nature of the project required reversible techniques that were both sustainable and cost-effective. As a result, the Mansha Mansion project followed a strategy focused on small-scale, creative solutions and careful detailing.
Demolition proved more cost-effective than new construction and helped create a unique spatial quality while highlighting the building’s historical value. A core strategy was to reveal elements hidden by previous renovations, rather than concealing the historical layers.
Traditional elements of granium, pools, and trees—symbols of Iranian courtyards—were reinterpreted with a modern approach. Unlike the past, where a single pool was centered, the design now features multiple pools and trees throughout the courtyard. Aromatic plants such as jasmine and persimmon evoke historical references.
The design maintains a respectful distance between new additions and the historic building. A suspended courtyard floor, elevated from the walls, reflects this approach and reinforces spatial harmony. The project was organized around existing mature trees, whose placement determined the courtyard grid. High-density greenery, flowing water, and cool, humid air enhance the sensory experience while providing physical comfort during warm seasons.
Low-coverage, semi-transparent gratings make the floor permeable for rainwater collection and create a continuous flow of greenery. Iron gratings and other metal elements were designed for reuse, allowing the client to recover a significant portion of the investment at lease-end. Old materials, including zigzag reinforcing bars and metal window frames, were repurposed throughout the project.
Revealing the past also allowed a lower carbon footprint. Upper walls above interior doors were replaced with metal and glass frames, and false ceilings and old façades were removed, exposing layers of history. Modern additions—gratings, courtyard structures, and painted plaster—contrast with preserved elements like brick, greenery, soil, and wooden windows.
On the first floor, a hallway flows into surrounding spaces, revealing traces of history. The wooden roof structure and original mosaic flooring were restored, while vintage furniture emphasizes the restoration strategy. Bold color choices and material contrasts define spatial boundaries.
No major structural changes were made; interventions focused on reinforcement. A settled basement arch was removed and reinforced, with materials left exposed to distinguish new from original. Electrical and mechanical installations run exposed or beneath the courtyard gratings.
The first floor houses a music rehearsal room and management office, while three connected southern rooms host cultural events such as live performances, art markets, gallery exhibitions, and poetry nights. In the basement, the boundary between old and new is defined at human scale through materials, lighting, furnishings, and objects.
Mansha Mansion, a long-abandoned Second Pahlavi house, was redesigned to extend its lifespan and become a public space for the neighborhood. Alongside other restored historic buildings in Nofel Loshato, this project contributes to revitalizing Tehran’s historic neighborhoods through restoration rather than demolition.
Design by | Ashrafi & Zad |
CLIENT
Tohid Kermajani, Iman Fattahi
DESIGN TEAM
Principal(s): Raha Ashrafi
Project Management and Design Oversight: Nava Kholoosi
Design Lead: Parniya Mallaki
Design Team: Mohamadreza Pakdast
Design Communication: Parniya Mallaki, Shaghayegh Naji
CD Team: Parniya Mallaki, Mohamadreza Pakdast
Photography: Arash Pasha
Special thanks to:
Structure: Eng. F. Bahrami
MEP: Dr. Hashemi
Construction Administration: Vahid Vaziri
Any extensive intervention would have significantly increased costs and extended the timeline. The temporary nature of the project required reversible techniques that were both sustainable and cost-effective. As a result, the Mansha Mansion project followed a strategy focused on small-scale, creative solutions and careful detailing.
Demolition proved more cost-effective than new construction and helped create a unique spatial quality while highlighting the building’s historical value. A core strategy was to reveal elements hidden by previous renovations, rather than concealing the historical layers.
Traditional elements of granium, pools, and trees—symbols of Iranian courtyards—were reinterpreted with a modern approach. Unlike the past, where a single pool was centered, the design now features multiple pools and trees throughout the courtyard. Aromatic plants such as jasmine and persimmon evoke historical references.
The design maintains a respectful distance between new additions and the historic building. A suspended courtyard floor, elevated from the walls, reflects this approach and reinforces spatial harmony. The project was organized around existing mature trees, whose placement determined the courtyard grid. High-density greenery, flowing water, and cool, humid air enhance the sensory experience while providing physical comfort during warm seasons.
Low-coverage, semi-transparent gratings make the floor permeable for rainwater collection and create a continuous flow of greenery. Iron gratings and other metal elements were designed for reuse, allowing the client to recover a significant portion of the investment at lease-end. Old materials, including zigzag reinforcing bars and metal window frames, were repurposed throughout the project.
Revealing the past also allowed a lower carbon footprint. Upper walls above interior doors were replaced with metal and glass frames, and false ceilings and old façades were removed, exposing layers of history. Modern additions—gratings, courtyard structures, and painted plaster—contrast with preserved elements like brick, greenery, soil, and wooden windows.
On the first floor, a hallway flows into surrounding spaces, revealing traces of history. The wooden roof structure and original mosaic flooring were restored, while vintage furniture emphasizes the restoration strategy. Bold color choices and material contrasts define spatial boundaries.
No major structural changes were made; interventions focused on reinforcement. A settled basement arch was removed and reinforced, with materials left exposed to distinguish new from original. Electrical and mechanical installations run exposed or beneath the courtyard gratings.
The first floor houses a music rehearsal room and management office, while three connected southern rooms host cultural events such as live performances, art markets, gallery exhibitions, and poetry nights. In the basement, the boundary between old and new is defined at human scale through materials, lighting, furnishings, and objects.
Mansha Mansion, a long-abandoned Second Pahlavi house, was redesigned to extend its lifespan and become a public space for the neighborhood. Alongside other restored historic buildings in Nofel Loshato, this project contributes to revitalizing Tehran’s historic neighborhoods through restoration rather than demolition.
Design by | Ashrafi & Zad |
CLIENT
Tohid Kermajani, Iman Fattahi
DESIGN TEAM
Principal(s): Raha Ashrafi
Project Management and Design Oversight: Nava Kholoosi
Design Lead: Parniya Mallaki
Design Team: Mohamadreza Pakdast
Design Communication: Parniya Mallaki, Shaghayegh Naji
CD Team: Parniya Mallaki, Mohamadreza Pakdast
Photography: Arash Pasha
Special thanks to:
Structure: Eng. F. Bahrami
MEP: Dr. Hashemi
Construction Administration: Vahid Vaziri
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