House No.10 Jolfa

House No. 10 Jolfa is a residential project in Isfahan's historic Jolfa neighborhood, adjacent to the 400-year-old Vank Cathedral. Designed by Mohammad Arab and Mina Moeineddini of USE Studio, the house seeks to recover the deeper meaning of "home" in contemporary Iran — not merely as an architectural type, but as a place that defines our relationship with ourselves, with others, and with the world. Awarded 2nd Place in Individual Dwellings at the 23rd Memar Award, the design responds to the transformation of Jolfa from a residential quarter into a commercial and touristic district, asserting that habitation remains the most essential component of urban life.

The house is organized around a brick courtyard with a tree, water feature, and natural light penetrating from above — echoing the traditional Iranian house while engaging contemporary living. A continuous brick wall rises from the lowest level through the stairwell to the rooftop parapets, unifying interior and exterior. The lightwell, clad in brick and accommodating terraces and a suspended metal planter, creates a vertical dialogue between levels. Full-height glazing extends intimate interior spaces into the courtyard and neighborhood beyond, while small adjacent terraces and carefully proportioned window seats reinforce the connection to the outdoors.

On the rooftop, a composition of open, semi-open, and enclosed spaces — including a small pool and jacuzzi screened by plantings and a wooden partition — offers residents a range of sensory experiences within the home. Built on a 235 m² lot with a total area of 400 m², the project employs brick as its principal material alongside handmade colored ceramic tiles and wood, reinforcing the sense of habitation and its bond with memory.