ZAV Architects extends Tehran villa with graft-like vaulted additions
Colorful masonry extensions weave through an orchard in this Iranian home transformation
1Orchard-integrated expansion
ZAV Architects transformed a 200sqm weekend villa into a permanent residence by acquiring three adjacent orchard plots. The design preserves the original orthogonal structure while adding curved vaults that branch outward between fruit trees. The extensions occupy existing clearings, maintaining the orchard's integrity while visually merging house and landscape. Rounded walls and staggered roofs stay low to ground level, creating a sense of organic growth from the original terracotta-colored core to pale pink and blue additions.
2Graft-inspired architecture
The design team conceptualized the addition as an architectural graft, with new elements emerging from the existing structure. Straight walls transition into spiraling vaulted spaces with overlapping edges that create narrow light channels. Each vaulted segment develops unique proportions while maintaining visual connectivity. The roofline changes incrementally across sections, producing varied interior atmospheres within a cohesive whole. This approach gives the extension both unity with the original and its own distinct identity.
3Color as chronology
ZAV employed a deliberate color gradient to visually narrate the building's expansion. The original terracotta core remains distinctly visible, while new additions gradually shift to paler pink and blue hues as they extend further into the orchard. This chromatic progression creates a readable timeline of the architectural intervention. The color strategy serves dual purposes: maintaining visual harmony with the landscape while providing wayfinding cues through the extended living spaces.
4Masonry craftsmanship
Despite its complex curved geometries, the extension uses traditional low-tech masonry construction and local craftsmanship. The architects maintained familiar building methods while achieving unusual forms through skilled execution. Arched openings repeat throughout, with curved ceilings directing light from slim skylights and tall windows. The blue-tinted newer spaces feature sunlight patterns moving across vaulted surfaces, creating dynamic interior lighting conditions that change throughout the day.
5Spatial fluidity
The design eliminates hard transitions between spaces, creating a continuous flow from room to room. Few right angles exist in the additions, with most junctions featuring soft curves that suggest rooms were 'pulled' from adjacent spaces. This fluidity extends to the relationship between interior and exterior, where garden views penetrate deep into the domestic sequence through strategically placed openings in the curved shells.
6Programmatic reorganization
The extension fundamentally changes how the house relates to its site. Circulation paths now weave between preserved orchard areas, bringing the garden into daily living patterns. Views shift dynamically as curved walls open toward different property aspects. The original villa remains the dense, warm-colored core, while the extensions become progressively more open and integrated with the landscape as they extend outward.
7Residential transformation
The project successfully converts a weekend retreat into a full-time residence by reimagining spatial needs. The design accommodates permanent living requirements while maintaining the property's recreational character. New living areas follow the owners' changed lifestyle patterns, with the architecture literally growing to meet evolving domestic needs. The result balances preservation of the original structure with innovative spatial solutions for contemporary use.
8Contextual design philosophy
Gelareh House exemplifies ZAV's approach to architectural interventions that respect existing conditions while introducing bold transformations. The design demonstrates how additions can maintain dialogue with original structures through materiality, form, and color strategies. By using local construction techniques for unconventional geometries, the project bridges tradition and innovation. This case study offers insights into sensitive yet transformative residential expansions in culturally rich contexts.