Apartment no.135 is a five-story residential building located in Saadat Abad, northwest of Tehran. Each floor contains a single three-bedroom unit. The ground floor houses the main entrance, lobby, and a multi-purpose room. Other amenities such as pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, and parking are located in the basement.
© Farshad Kazerooni, Azin Soltani
Historically a house bears special values in Iranian architecture and culture, values such as hierarchy, legibility, introversion, balance, and unity and especially respect to the privacy of families. During the past century, according to the changes in lifestyle and a large demand for new constructions, most of these precious values have been changed.
© Farshad Kazerooni, Azin Soltani
The main design idea behind Apartment no.135 was to revitalize the lost heritage and to give a modern interpretation of the old concepts. Thus, brick – a traditional building material – was used in this project. A combination of fixed brick panels and protruded modular frames are used to create a modern and dynamic facade. The brick panels in front of the windows act as a temperature buffer by filtering natural light.
© Farshad Kazerooni, Azin Soltani
During a different time of a day, the brick patterns create a beautiful effect of light and shadow inside each unit. This phenomenon creates variety, increases space quality and provides visual and heat comfort for residents while it plays an effective role in energy saving. Rooftop garden and modular flower boxes in front of the windows are designed to improve environmental quality while accentuating the aesthetic values.
Project Info
Architects: BNS Studio
Country: Iran, Tehran
Area: 2300 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Farshad Kazerooni, Azin Soltani
Architectural Detail Designer: Meisam Ebrahimi Moghadam
3 D Visualizer: Ali Zeinalzadeh
Design Team: Nioosha Rashidi, Shabnam Abtahi, Mahta Heydari, Zoha Nekouian, Shadi Malek, Behnam Barzegar
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.