The Organization for the Construction of Government Buildings and Facilities, affiliated with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, on the 11th of Azar 1377 (December 2, 1998) invited six architectural design groups to participate in the design competition for the Governorate building of the newly established Golestan Province. The invited groups had all previously achieved distinctions in the Abadi Prize competitions or the Building Engineering Festival.
Within the allotted deadline, only two of the six groups prepared and submitted their proposals. On the 13th of Bahman 1377 (February 2, 1999), a jury session was convened to evaluate the two entries, and the results were announced as follows.
Jury Results
Jury Members: Eng. Kazeruni, Dr. Hanachi, Eng. Mirmiran, Eng. Sepehri, Eng. Hashemi
Entry 1: Eng. Nurkihani
Entry 2 (Winner): Eng. Mohammad Hasan Momeni & Ms. Mozhgan Solati-Dehkordi
A complete program for the project design had been provided to the participants. However, the spaces had not been defined in realistic terms; only approximate areas and an organizational chart of the governorate had been supplied. As a result, the spaces could not be properly reviewed and evaluated.
Both proposals made an appropriate historical reference to the architecture of Gonbad-e Qabus. However, overall, the proposal by Momeni and Solati-Dehkordi was found to be superior due to its fitting inspiration from the form of Gonbad-e Qabus, its successful fusion with a contemporary architectural language, its relative compliance with the program areas, and the greater accomplishment of its interior spaces and the beauty of its massing.
Jury Recommendations
The jury panel announced the following corrective and supplementary recommendations:
- Despite the use of the geometry of Gonbad-e Qabus, it was not necessary to impose a complete symmetry and a uniform volume from all directions onto the project.
- The distinctive feature of Gonbad-e Qabus lies in the fusion of its star-shaped plan with its cylindrical form, which is clearly evident in the project model. However, this quality has not been fully observed in the plans — as the designer's own explanations and stated commitment to preserving this design feature indicate.
- If the choice of two volumes — star-shaped and strip-like — is a metaphor for drawing a curtain to display a historical symbol, then sufficient care must be taken in the surface treatment and material selection of the strip-shaped volume.
- The separation of two volumes, one for ordinary employees and the other for the province's senior officials, in the form of two tiers of superiors and subordinates, is contrary to the principles and values of the Islamic Republic.
- Efforts should be made so that the governorate building, while beautiful and powerful, does not appear ostentatious or aristocratic.
The jury recommended that, for the preparation of the detailed design, a complete program first be developed; then a supervisory group — consisting of the implementing organization's representative, the governorate's representative, and one member of the jury panel — oversee the project modifications and the development of construction documents.
Design Drawings
