Chooji restaurant

Chooji Restaurant in Tehran, designed by Shabir Mousavi, Amirreza Fazel, and Mehdi Kolahi, won Third Place in the Renovation category at the 16th Memar Award (2016). The existing interior had cream travertine, cream ceramic, arched and plain windows in the identity-less classical style prevalent in contemporary Iran. The client wanted an organic food restaurant capable of being replicated as a franchise, but the space was leased for a limited period and seemed unsuitable for a restaurant.

The design philosophy centered on minimizing the destructive environmental impact of demolition typical in interior projects. Preserving walls, leaving surfaces exposed, and covering them with a transparent partition to create a dialogue between old and new spaces became the guiding principles. By distancing from the original walls, a new partition was created within the space that established a fresh identity while separating the space according to different needs.

Wood and iron were chosen as primary elements for the partitions, fostering a connection with nature. All design details were conceived with transferability in mind — allowing reassembly in different spaces when the lease expires. This created continuous micro-modules throughout the space, ensuring spatial integrity while enabling the restaurant to relocate with conscious transformation and guaranteed permanence. The total area is 200 square meters.