Nine years of Memar Magazine's publication and six editions of the Memar Award provide valuable evidence for examining the trajectory of contemporary Iranian architecture in recent years. The central question remains: have things fundamentally improved, or is progress occurring only at certain levels? A comparison of the 72 evaluated works in this edition with works from the earliest award cycles yields preliminary answers.
The award has evolved to become a significant indicator of improvement in design quality. Although some conventional works still surface, they are clearly distinguished from works that demonstrate genuine design thinking. Such a transformation — particularly driven by young architects — indicates remarkable latent talent that, if unobstructed, will undoubtedly establish itself on the world architectural stage. However, certain weaknesses persist: the gap between design concept and built reality, inconsistent construction quality, and insufficient attention to the integration of structure and services into architectural design.
The quality of construction has notably improved compared to a decade ago. Many works show competent handling of materials and detailing that would have been rare in the earlier editions. The growing influence of the private sector — developers commissioning architects of note rather than relying on routine construction — signals a positive cultural shift.
The Jury and the Process
The jury, consisting of Negar Hakim, Faramarz Sharifi, Hossein Sheikh-Zeineddin, Bahram Shokouhian, and Firouz Firouz (who replaced Bernard Khoury due to the 2006 Lebanon war), evaluated works across three size categories. After three eliminative and two elective rounds, twenty works were selected and seven were awarded prizes.
The competition drew entries from both Tehran and provincial cities — Isfahan, Kerman, Mazandaran, and others — demonstrating the award's expanding geographic reach. This decentralization of quality architecture across Iran is perhaps one of the competition's most significant achievements.
Design Trends and Observations
In terms of design approaches, the works reveal several important trends. The most notable is the abandonment of superficial historical imitation in favor of deeper engagement with Iranian architectural concepts. Projects like Pedram House in Isfahan (by Paleshir Consulting Engineers) and the villa in Daryacheh Shahrak (by Pouya Khazaeli Parsa) demonstrate how traditional themes — the garden, the central courtyard — can be reimagined in entirely contemporary and abstract forms.
Villa Shahrak Maneli (by Zavieh Group) exemplifies another important development: the functional rather than merely decorative use of vernacular patterns. The project draws upon northern Iranian building traditions not for stylistic effect but to address real environmental challenges — wind corridors and heavy rainfall.
Volumetric design methods — where spatial quality is achieved through massing rather than plan manipulation — have become the dominant approach, representing a significant maturation in design thinking. Interior spaces receive more careful attention, and execution quality of architectural details has improved.
The use of recycled materials has attracted considerable attention among participants. Architects have explored concrete finishes, steel expression, and brick work with varying degrees of sophistication. The observation of landscape and nature — the summerhouse in Kelarabad by Marian Nassirpour stands as a notable example — demonstrates a growing sensitivity to contextual design.
However, structural expression and tectonic sensibility remain notably absent from most submissions. Designers focus primarily on formal concerns, rarely engaging with structure as a generative design force. Similarly, the integration of building services into the architectural design process remains underdeveloped.
Apartment Buildings and Interior Quality
In apartment buildings, efforts toward creating a rational human-scaled lifestyle are evident, though floor plans still show room for improvement. The winning projects demonstrate different approaches yet share common qualities — the first-place Dowlat Building in Tehran, by Arsh Design Group, achieves remarkable spatial richness on a narrow urban lot through its innovative wood-clad facade and stacked volumes.
Natural light as a design element received particular attention in this edition. The Pour Seyyedi House in Kerman by Shervin Hosseini, with its skylit courtyard and textured stone walls catching filtered sunlight, exemplifies this growing awareness of light's role in creating architectural atmosphere. This sensitivity to light and interior quality represents a relatively new development in Iranian residential architecture.
Documentation and Presentation
In terms of documentation and presentation, the competition has seen significant improvement, though standards remain uneven. Video submissions of up to 100 minutes provide richer documentation, but visual effects in photography and film sometimes obscure rather than reveal architectural qualities. The establishment of clear documentation standards and the development of specialized architectural photography expertise would further strengthen the competition's evaluative capacity.
Social Impact and Looking Forward
The social impact of the Memar Award deserves particular attention. By connecting architects with developers and drawing public attention to the importance of design quality in construction, the award contributes to a broader cultural conversation about architecture's role in society. The recognition of Abadgostaran Mahan as a developer committed to architectural quality suggests that this message is beginning to resonate with the private development sector.
In the final analysis, the 6th Memar Award confirms that Iranian residential architecture is undergoing a genuine transformation. The emergence of confident, technically competent young practitioners, the deepening engagement with cultural identity without recourse to pastiche, and the improving relationship between architects and developers all point toward a maturing architectural culture. The challenge ahead is to sustain this momentum while addressing the persistent weaknesses in structural thinking, services integration, and the gap between design intent and built outcome.