Residential Architecture in Tehran: Peivand by Studio Cedrus

Introduction

In the dense urban fabric of Tehran, where tradition often meets the demands of modern living, Studio Cedrus has delivered a refined residential project that both honors the past and reflects a forward-thinking architectural vision.
Peivand Residential Building, located in the Mokhaberat neighborhood of Saadat Abad, serves as a case study in designing for multi-generational families while integrating cultural, environmental, and urban narratives into a cohesive built form.

“Peivand,” meaning “bonding” in Farsi, captures the project’s essence—physically merging family units into one structure while metaphorically linking historical Iranian architecture with contemporary design approaches. The building is, at once,
a familiar presence on Tehran’s streets and a progressive addition to its architectural story.

Historical and Urban Context

Peivand is embedded in a neighborhood characterized by short-rise homes and traditional architectural elements, especially brick. This material continuity and scale establish a historical rhythm that Cedrus Studio sought to evolve rather than disrupt.

The site’s location near Tehran’s northern mountains and its favorable north-south light exposure offered an opportunity for a sensitive, light-responsive design. The surrounding streetscape supports a quiet residential atmosphere, making it
conducive to residential experimentation grounded in cultural specificity.

Design Principles

Identity & Continuity

The fundamental aim of the design was to reinforce a sense of local identity—rooted in Tehran’s urban materiality and family-centered lifestyle—while also crafting a framework for contemporary functionality. The decision to house
three brothers and their families in the same building was both an architectural and cultural challenge, highlighting the subject of multi-family planning within tight urban plots.

Through its spatial program and symbolic brick articulation, Peivand creates not only physical connections across floors and units but also emotional and cultural bridges between generations and architectural eras.

Mass and Spatial Strategies

The massing deploys a volumetric modernism while strictly adhering to Tehran’s zoning codes. According to local guidelines, 60% of the site area is allowed to be built above ground, while massing below grade can reach
up to 80%. Cedrus Studio used this regulation to maintain generous open spaces and daylight wells.

Despite the modern form, the building demonstrates humility in scale, ensuring its presence blends, rather than dominates, its neighborhood. Vertical stacking, terraces, and a careful modulation of voids create internal variety without
compromising external harmony.

Materiality and Facade Expression

Brick serves as the primary material for both philosophical and practical reasons. Heralded throughout Iranian architecture for its durability and aesthetic richness, brick in Peivand strengthens spatial continuity with the past while
responding to Tehran’s climate.

The ground level façade features intricately patterned brick screens inspired by traditional Iranian patterns, offering privacy, shading, and a dynamic street interface. These porous designs also enhance ventilation and microclimate
control—reinventing vernacular techniques through modern construction.

Technical Specifications

Building Techniques

Brick Construction

Local brick was chosen not only for its cultural resonance but also for its functional performance. As a material, it provides excellent thermal mass, helping regulate indoor temperatures in Tehran’s variable climate. The brick detailing,
especially on lower levels, incorporates geometric patterns reminiscent of mashrabiya, providing filtered light and added privacy.

Daylighting and Orientation

The building’s north-south exposure facilitated strategic window placement, bringing abundant daylight into living spaces while eliminating excessive glare or heat gain. The section of the building cleverly integrates setbacks and open
terraces, ensuring that light penetrates deep into each residential unit.

Street-Level Integration

At the pedestrian level, Cedrus Studio lowered the visual bulk by diversifying materials and employing recessed entries and plantings. The result is a street-level environment that feels both secure and open—an important balance in urban
Iranian residential settings where privacy is paramount.

Global Comparisons and Architectural Alignment

While deeply contextualized in Tehran’s urban rhythm, Peivand finds parallels with architectural solutions from other regions. These comparisons highlight the universality of certain residential principles, even when expressed through regional
dialects.

Peivand aligns with these international traditions in:

• Family-centric programming: akin to North American homes supporting extended families or flexible occupancy
• Environmental orientation: mirroring sustainable principles central to Australian residential design
• Urban continuity: similar to European infill practices that reinforce—but do not replicate—historic typologies

Educational Takeaways for Architects and Homeowners

• Context-Conscious Design: Peivand shows how understanding local conditions—cultural, historical, and environmental—enhances spatial quality and long-term value.
• Material Strategy: Traditional materials like brick, when employed thoughtfully, can meet modern standards of insulation, durability, and aesthetics.
• Multi-Family Design Can Reflect Cultural Patterns: The layout supports extended family needs, demonstrating how architecture can respect and reinforce social bonds.
• Orientation Matters: Even in dense urban neighborhoods, north-south site alignment and creative massing can allow for abundant daylight and energy performance gains.

For architects working in culturally dense urban contexts—whether in Tehran, Toronto, Sydney, or Berlin—the example of Peivand provides a clear roadmap: draw from heritage without imitation, embrace constraints as creative fodder, and narrate
place through precision and poetics.