YAZD GARDEN HOME
2nd Place, Individual Dwellings — 14th Memar Award
The Mahdiabad district is a remnant of the old gardens surrounding Yazd that has today become part of the city. This house was built on a portion of an old family garden-home complex that remains in the area. Through extensive discussions with the client to formulate the physical program and better understand the subject, three main approaches were established for siting the building:
- Creating privacy and eliminating intrusive overlooking from surrounding buildings
- Orienting the house toward the old garden complex
- Attention to climate, shadow patterns, and urban orientation while respecting the above considerations
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION
Our effort was to properly redefine the patterns and spatial concepts of traditional Yazd houses and reconstruct these meanings. The spatial organization took shape based on needs and intended concepts, with the house defined in six main sections:
- Guest House: With an independent entrance, including reception, dining, and guest bedrooms.
- Private Section: Dedicated to the living room and bedrooms, evoking the concept of the andaruni (inner quarters) in traditional houses.
- Kitchen: Positioned in connection with the private living room, dining area, guest house, main courtyard, and the orangery courtyard.
- Upper Chamber (Balakhane): On the upper floor with dual access from inside and outside the house, dedicated to long-term guest accommodation.
- Orangery (Narenjestan): A sunken garden with a pool and orange trees, around which the exercise room, servant quarters, and other service spaces are formed.
- Main Courtyard: With a large pool and outdoor seating area facing the old garden complex, enjoying privacy from its surroundings.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Five components guided the building's formation: purity, simplicity and legibility; openness and generosity; a sense of belonging and nostalgia; a feeling of solitude and tranquility; and respect for the surroundings without ostentation.
In the design process, attention was given to ensuring the house would have appropriate efficiency and ease in both construction and use. For example, in choosing the cooling system, evaporative coolers were used, which can perform effectively in Yazd's hot, dry climate. Since the garden has qanat water, water circulates around the house and ultimately returns to irrigate the garden.