The Gas Company Building

Mehrdad Iravanian begins by explaining the project's context. The Gas Company of Fars Province needed a new headquarters building that would stand apart from the typical government architecture in Shiraz. The building sits on a prominent site along one of the city's main boulevards, and Iravanian saw an opportunity to create something distinctive — a structure whose facade would become a landmark visible from the surrounding streets.

The design concept centers on the building's facade, which features an elaborate system of exposed steel pipes running across the front elevation. These pipes, rendered in polished stainless steel, create a dynamic geometric pattern against the curtain wall glazing behind them. Iravanian explains that the pipes are not merely decorative — they serve as a metaphorical representation of the gas distribution network that is the company's core business. The architecture speaks the language of its occupant.

Fashami: How did you arrive at this facade concept? Did the client request something specific, or was this your own initiative?

Iravanian: The client wanted a building that would express the identity of the gas company. From the outset, I was thinking about how to make the building speak — how to give it a face that would communicate its purpose. The idea of using industrial pipes came naturally. Gas, after all, flows through pipes. So I thought, why not let the building's skin tell this story? The pipes on the facade are actual gas pipe components, welded and arranged in a composition that creates both rhythm and visual complexity.

Fashami: Tell us about the interior spaces. How did you handle the relationship between the facade and the interior?

Iravanian: The interior is organized around a central atrium that brings natural light deep into the building. The office floors are arranged around this central void, creating visual connections between different departments. The curtain wall behind the pipe facade floods the interior with natural light, which is filtered and modulated by the pipe elements outside. So the pipes serve a practical function too — they provide solar shading while maintaining transparency. Inside, you experience the pipes as shadows and light patterns moving across the walls throughout the day.

The building uses a reinforced concrete structure with a steel-frame curtain wall system. The total built area is approximately 5,000 square meters across four floors, with an additional basement level for parking and services. The ground floor contains the public-facing departments, while the upper floors house administrative offices.

Fashami: What challenges did you face during construction?

Iravanian: The biggest challenge was the facade execution. The pipe elements had to be precisely fabricated and installed to achieve the design intent. Each section was shop-fabricated and then assembled on site. We worked closely with the contractor to develop the connection details. There was also the challenge of waterproofing the curtain wall behind the pipes — the interface between the decorative pipe system and the building envelope required careful detailing.

Sadra Park

Fashami: Let us talk about the Sadra Park project. This is a very different type of commission — a public park rather than an institutional building. How did you approach the landscape design?

Iravanian: Sadra Park is located in the Sadra New Town development north of Shiraz. The municipality wanted a signature urban park that would serve as the neighborhood's social center. I approached this project with the belief that landscape architecture in Iran needs to break free from conventional patterns — the endless repetition of flowerbeds and fountains that you see in most Iranian public parks.

The park design is organized around a series of sculptural elements and spatial sequences. Rather than creating a flat, open green space, I wanted to make a landscape that unfolds as you move through it — with discoveries, surprises, and places of contemplation. The topography is manipulated to create hills, valleys, and platforms at different levels.

Fashami: What role does water play in the design?

Iravanian: Water is central to the concept. In a hot, arid city like Shiraz, water is both a practical necessity and a cultural symbol. I designed a water feature that runs through the length of the park, sometimes as a flowing stream, sometimes as a still reflecting pool. The water element connects different zones of the park and creates microclimates that make the outdoor spaces more comfortable.

The park also includes a series of pavilion structures — lightweight canopies and shading devices that provide shelter from the sun. These structures use a vocabulary of forms that echo the pipe language of the Gas Company Building, creating a kind of dialogue between my architectural and landscape projects.

Fashami: You work across very different scales — from buildings to parks to furniture. How do you see the relationship between these different types of design?

Iravanian: For me, design is design. Whether I am working on a building facade or a park layout or a piece of furniture, the fundamental questions are the same: What is the purpose? What is the context? How can the form express its content? I believe an architect should be able to work at every scale. The problem with specialization is that it creates tunnel vision. When you design a building, you should also be thinking about the landscape around it, the street furniture, the way people will experience the space at every level of detail.

In my practice, I try to maintain this holistic approach. The Gas Company Building and Sadra Park are good examples — they represent two very different commissions, but the underlying design philosophy is consistent. Both projects seek to create environments that communicate, that tell stories, and that offer rich sensory experiences to their users.

On Architecture in Shiraz

Fashami: As an architect working primarily in Shiraz, how do you see the state of contemporary architecture in the city?

Iravanian: Shiraz has a magnificent architectural heritage, but the contemporary built environment often fails to live up to that legacy. There is a tendency toward superficial imitation of historical forms — sticking pointed arches and colored tiles onto otherwise generic modern buildings. I believe we need to learn from the principles of traditional Shirazi architecture — the sensitivity to climate, the mastery of light and shade, the integration of gardens and water — without literally copying the forms.

The Gas Company Building is my attempt at this. It is unapologetically modern, even high-tech in its expression, but it responds to the Shiraz climate and urban context. The pipe facade provides solar shading, the atrium brings light into the deep floor plates, and the building addresses the street in a way that creates public space. These are all lessons from traditional architecture, translated into a contemporary language.

Fashami: What advice would you give to young architects in Iran?

Iravanian: I would say: be brave. Do not follow fashions. Do not try to please everyone. Architecture is a form of cultural expression, and it should be honest. Study the great works of the past — not just Iranian architecture, but architecture from all over the world. Understand why they are great, and then find your own voice. The worst thing an architect can do is to be timid, to play it safe, to produce buildings that say nothing. Every building is an opportunity to add something meaningful to the city.