The competition for a new flagship store, office and penthouse
apartments in central Teheran provided an opportunity to pursue site
specific architecture in unfamilar terrority. 
Sited on a corner plot of a major road, our proposal places the left over
ground area in the centre of the scheme. This creates a calm and
protected area for shoppers and visitors to enjoy. The courtyard
increases the available 'street frontage', a critical element in retail
planning. Large terraces on the 1st, and 4th floors provide both
customers and workers with outdoor spaces. 
The courtyard creates an area of visibility and activity, the office spaces
above being connected to the retail beneath. To protect the structure in
an extremely high seismic area, the building is encased in a diagrid. This
diagrid is then infilled with louvres to provide the necessary solar
protection. [credits]