Square House

Square House on Moshtagh Street in Isfahan connects three residential units with similar structures within a single apartment building. Designed by Mehdi Pirani, the central idea was a return to the concept of the Iranian courtyard house within a modern apartment format. Each unit has a private courtyard through which natural light and ventilation penetrate the interior spaces.

The building form is inspired by square geometry, and the negative spaces carved within the volume form each unit private courtyards. These courtyards serve not only a functional role in providing light and air circulation, but are also intermediate spaces and retreats that preserve residents privacy while living in an apartment complex.

The building brick facade features a textured pattern that offers a new reading of Isfahan indigenous materials, creating a distinctive play of light and shadow. With a built area of 900 square meters on a 270-square-meter site, Square House won First Place in the Apartment Buildings category at the 18th Memar Award (2018).