ZAV Architects builds colorful sand villages in Iran

Presence in Hormuz is a series of semi-public urban developments by ZAV Architects that aim to empower and empower the island’s community. One of their recent developments is a multi-purpose cultural residence called Majara (meaning adventure). ZAV explains that the project is an ongoing process that aims to build trust rather than architectural objects. The residential complex comprises a multitude of small-scale domes built using the “superadobe” technique developed by Iranian architect Nader Khalili.

The domes are capable of accommodating a variety of programs, with most offering accommodation. Some contain communal areas with space for residents to do laundry or dine at an on-site café. There are also rooms dedicated to crafts, prayer, and even a of tourist information.

Transformation architecture

Hormuz is an ancient historic port on the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, south of Iran, which is key to shipping oil from the Middle East. The island has stunning, colorful, surreal landscapes, but sadly, the prosperity and wealth from the fuel does not reach to all local inhabitants. “In a country whose state is embroiled in political disputes, every architectural project becomes a proposal for alternative governance, asking basic questions: what are the limits of architecture and how can it suggest a political alternative to communal life? How can it exercise role of social agent? the architects ponder.