Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Tehran, Iran Building, Iranian Architecture Design Photos

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran

5 June 2022

Design: ASA North / Ahmadreza Schricker

Location: Tehran, Iran, western Asia

Aerial view of the museum by night:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran

Photos by Deed Studio

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran, Iran

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre in Iran

Tehran’s first independent contemporary art museum is housed in a more-than-100-year-old former brewery that had been abandoned for decades.

Insertion of a new foundation and metal structure to support the floating concrete floors and roofs independently of the original exterior walls:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran

The Iranian-Austrian architect’s aim was to create a dialogue between old and new by inserting a new foundation and metal structure to support floating concrete floors and roofs independently of the original exterior walls, thus allowing generous ceiling heights (up to 12 metres) for the climate-controlled galleries.

View of the white concrete grand staircase:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Iran building

All new insertions are curvilinear and employ distinct materials to differentiate them from the brick-built historic fabric: white concrete grand staircase; metal elevator; brass bar; strata of different-toned concrete cladding for the artist-in-residence tower.

The climate-controlled galleries offer diverse and generous ceiling heights up to 12 metres:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran

Restored brickwork is indicated by deeply recessed pointing. Former basement cellars have been converted into sunken galleries.

New insertions employ distinct materials to differentiate them from the historic structure:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Tehran

Echoing neighbouring vernacular roofs in form, the five new striated, pitched roof structures act as deep, insulating, filtering skylights and signal that the building is alive again: a symbolic “tip of the hat”. Former basement brewing pools were converted into sunken galleries.

Insertion of new structural foundations, while retaining the expressive exposed brick load-bearing walls:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Iran building

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Iran – Property Information

Award Cycle: 2020-2022 Cycle
Status: Shortlisted

The new floating concrete roofs in contrast with the old masonry walls:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Iran building

Location: Tehran, Iran
Client: Pejman Foundation
Architect: ASA North / Ahmadreza Schricker
Completed: 2020
Country of origin: Iran

Restored brickwork is indicated by deeply recessed pointing:
Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Iran building

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio (photographer)

2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlist

Art Galleries

Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Tehran building images / information received 020622 from the Aga Khan Award for Architecture – AKAA

Location: Tehran, Iran, South Asia

Iranian Architecture

Iran Architecture Designs – chronological list

Iranian Architecture News

Iranian Architectural Designs – selection

Cubes Warehouse, Shamsabad Industrial Park
Design: Nazar Idea Paidar Company
Cubes Warehouse Tehran building
photo : Deed Studio
Cubes Warehouse in Tehran

Turbosealtech, Pardis Science & Technology Park
Design: New Wave Architecture
Turbosealtech New Incubator and Office Tehran
photo : Parham Taghioff
Turbosealtech New Incubator and Office Tehran

Iranian Architectural Designs

Aban House, Isfahan
Design: USE Studio / Mohammad Arab, Mina Moeineddini
Aban House, Iran: Isfahan Property
photo : Deed Studio
Aban House

Lotus Amphitheater Building Design
Design: Peyman Kiani Architects (PKA)
Lotus Amphitheater Iran by Peyman Kiani Architects
rendering : Mohammad Ali Rezaeiyan
Lotus Amphitheater Building Design

Cantilever House, Mosha, Damavand, Amol, Māzandarān
Design: uc21 architects
Cantilever House in Mosha, Damavand, Iran
photo : Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh
Cantilever House in Mosha, Damavand

Iranian Architecture

Comments / photos for the Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre Tehran, Iran design by ASA North / Ahmadreza Schricker page welcome