Memar Magazine
About Memar
Iran's premier architecture publication since 1998
The Magazine
Memar (The Architect) is Iran's premier bimonthly publication dedicated to architecture and urban design. Founded in 1998 by the late Soheila Beski, the magazine has served for over a quarter of a century as the foremost platform for architectural discourse in Iran.
From its first issue in the summer of 1998, Memar has been an entirely independent, privately funded publication, operating without any government support. What began as a quarterly journal grew into a bimonthly, and has since published over 150 issues covering the full spectrum of Iranian architecture — from contemporary projects and emerging talent to traditional architecture, urban planning, and critical theory.
The Memar Award
Since 2001, Memar has organized the annual Memar Award — one of Iran's most prestigious recognitions in architecture. Each year, a distinguished jury of renowned architects evaluates submissions across multiple categories.
The Memar Award has been instrumental in identifying and launching the careers of a new generation of Iranian architects, many of whom have gone on to gain international recognition through platforms such as ArchDaily and Dezeen.
Our Founder
Soheila Beski
1953 — 2015
Writer, Translator, Editor
Soheila Beski was a writer, translator, editor, and a pioneering cultural figure in Iran. Born in 1953, she studied management at the University of Guilan and later pursued economics at Michigan State University in the United States.
During the 1990s, Beski managed the publication of Abadi magazine at the Center for Urban Planning and Architecture Studies. In 1998, she invested her own resources to launch Memar, and in 2001, she simultaneously founded Shahr magazine and established the Memar Award.
“She did more for architecture than any other recent figure, bringing a generation together, despite having no buildings bearing her name.”
Continuing the Legacy
Today, Memar continues under the stewardship of the Amirrahimi family, upholding the vision and standards that Soheila Beski established.
The magazine and the Memar Award remain committed to advancing the art and discourse of architecture in Iran and connecting Iranian architects with the wider world.
Contact
Unit 6, No. 6, Dibaj Street, Shariati Street, Tehran, Iran
Phone/Fax: +98 21 2640 0980-2
info@memarmagazine.com