The Light in the Shadows

Courtyard shadows over the enclosed Iwan

Architecture is an integral part of everyday life and an active agent in shaping culture. My architecture is about shade rather than light.
In Iran, we learn from childhood to stand in the shade due to the overwhelming heat of the sun during summers.

Iran’s sun is strong, creating too much light. As a result, our architecture evolved to help us hide from the sun. The iwan was created to allow for the creation of shade to escape the sun. This is not so far from the purpose of a porch in rainy climates. The light, combined with structure, is what makes the creation of shade possible. Therefore, shade is a passive element entailing sustainability and intelligence. In the end, by trying to find the comfort in a particular context, we create a harmonious environment passively existing in space.

My ideas are inspired by tradition, culture and the ever-evolving human identity. I focus on the intangible emotional evocation of the senses sourced from the relationship between humans and the tangible spaces we create. This is made possible through the understanding of shadows and light inspired by Persian architectural tradition. In the end, I have come to understand how an “architecture of shade” assumes there is an abundance of light.