2 Ivans 2 Houses by HAMAAN Studio – Contemporary Iranian Housing Rooted in Tradition

The 2 Ivans 2 Houses project by HAMAAN Studio reimagines a traditional architectural prototype to create a modern, flexible residential complex in Isfahan, Iran. Designed by lead architect Behrouz Shahbazi and completed in 2023, the 950 m² development explores how traditional spatial archetypes can evolve into contemporary, living architectural forms. Through this transformation, the project connects cultural memory with modern urban housing needs.

Reinterpreting the Ivan as a Living Architectural Prototype

The design begins with the concept of the Ivan—a semi-open space deeply rooted in the residential architecture of Iran’s central plateau. Instead of treating the Ivan as a nostalgic form, the architects reinterpret it as a functional prototype, an “embryo” capable of evolving with its environment. This approach rejects static repetition of tradition and instead focuses on active transformation, creating a living architectural language that responds to contemporary pressures, climatic conditions, and spatial diversity.

The Ivan becomes more than a form; it becomes a generative spatial tool. It shapes circulation, creates views, integrates the outdoors into the interior, and anchors the home’s relationship with light and landscape. Its minimalist and efficient geometry allows for varied open, semi-open, and enclosed spaces, addressing the spatial demands of autonomous modern houses within Iran’s real estate context.

Spatial Diversity Through Open, Semi-Open, and Enclosed Spaces

In a dense urban setting, spatial diversity becomes essential. The project uses the Ivan strategically to design a consistent hierarchy of open and sheltered spaces that enrich daily life. This architectural articulation balances privacy, sociability, and natural connection—qualities often lost in contemporary housing typologies.

The arrangement prevents land waste and avoids stereotypical planning. Instead, it creates dynamic circulations, carefully framed views, and layered experiences between interior and exterior. Each Ivan acts as a spatial mediator, enabling visual and physical relationships with the neighborhood, gardens, sky, and nearby trees.

Two Ivans, Two Houses, Two Distinct Spatial Characters

The project incorporates two Ivans across different levels, each with its own role, atmosphere, and spatial identity:

1. The Sightseeing Ivan (Ground Floor)

This lower Ivan enhances the duplex unit, establishing visual connections with the courtyard, adjacent trees, and surrounding homes. It acts as a platform for observing, connecting, and extending daily activities outdoors. The semi-open character blurs boundaries, creating a living backdrop of nature and community interaction.

2. The Entry Ivan (Upper Level)

Located on the second floor, this Ivan serves the upper house as a threshold space, shaping movement, pause, and transition. It acts as a buffer between the public street and private interior, offering shade, rhythm, and an elevated visual experience. Though genetically linked to the first Ivan, it emerges with its own functional and aesthetic personality.

Together, the two Ivans generate distinct atmospheres, forming two unique houses within one structural system while maintaining an architectural dialogue rooted in shared heritage.

A Dialogue with Sky, Earth, and Neighborhood

The two Ivans engage in a constant dialogue with the home’s context—the earth beneath, the sky above, and the surrounding neighborhood. They serve as spatial extensions that connect the indoor living areas to the garden pit, neighboring yards, and trees beyond the façade.

Through reflections, framed views, and natural light, the Ivans create continuity between interior and exterior, reinforcing the sense of connection with the landscape. This integration of built and natural elements becomes central to the project’s identity.

A Living Architecture for Contemporary Iran

The 2 Ivans 2 Houses project demonstrates how historical prototypes can adapt to modern life without becoming mere decorative symbols. By transforming the Ivan into a dynamic architectural organism, HAMAAN Studio creates a contemporary residential model that respects cultural lineage while responding to today’s urban demands. The result is a pair of homes rooted in context, full of spatial richness, and deeply engaged with their environment.

All photographs are works ofMohammad Soroosh Jooshesh