Very strange: note the narrowness of the spaces between the four vertical cantilevered masses, and that they have windows in them. Built with great care.
The importance of the way the cantilever was used in Tehran is to the extent that Tehran seems to be unequalled also in this respect. However, the recent simplistic attitudes in relation to planning regulations, which have come to mainly serve specu- lation, has discarded this nearly indigenous element of Tehran, like so many other things. The mechanical mindset behind the decisions assumes that to cantilever out necessitates a greater width; therefore this can be allowed when there is an “ade- quate and suitable” width. Now this has been set at 12 meters. Why, it is not known. As a consequence, in the speculative building now, the whole of a front is cantilevered out uniformly, and without any balconies. However, an architect’s, and an aesthete’s outlook would come to the opposite conclusion! : The less the width, the better to cantilever out!, as this would provide a desirable narrowness. The spirit needs openness and wide horizons, but also the small spaces, especially in urban terms. In Tehran, the way the device of the cantilever worked with the staircase was particularly impressive, because where the building, rather than the garden, sat on the street line, the staircase would cantilever out by about the depth of a landing. This would also provide a cover above the door. There were also combinations in the cantilever form, of a staircase, one or more balconies, and one or more enclosed spaces. But the most astounding case was the use of the cantilever to correct out of square plans in order to provide rectilinear plans above the ground floor. This would normally be for main street corner plots that were the result of the intersection of streets at acute or obtuse angles. The result was the accordion like zigzag fronts, implemented at times in combination with a great number of balconies. It would also provide desirable oblique perspectives from the interiors, and lesser direct views from the outside.
The municipal authority and the planners cannot wait to get these “disorderly” profiles in line.
Jomhouri [N] - Kalantari Cul-de-sac Jaami [S] Valiasr [W] - Amini - looking east Enghelab [S] - western Cul-de-sac of the ex Cinema Plaza
A triangle has formed on the underside of the cantilevered staircase.
Pasdaran [E] - Negarestan1 [S]