A House Looking to A Cedrus Tree: Contemporary House Renovation in Iran by Cedrus Studio

The project A House Looking to A Cedrus Tree, designed by Cedrus Studio in Alborz Province, Iran, is a striking example of modern house renovation in Iran. Transforming an unfinished 50-year-old villa into a serene family retreat, the architects harmonized heritage, nature, and contemporary design while preserving the presence of a centuries-old Cedrus tree.

Context and Design Inspiration

The villa, situated between mountains to the north and a river to the south, rests under vast open skies. With the Cedrus tree as its anchor, the renovation was guided by nature. The design invited sunlight, water, wind, and vegetation into the house, creating a slow, circular flow that blurred the boundary between inside and outside.

Challenges of Renovation

Strict zoning regulations prohibited any expansion or vertical extension, leaving architects with the challenge of reworking an existing structure with low ceilings and fragmented levels. Cedrus Studio responded by carving two vertical voids—one under the roof ridge and another in the living room—introducing openness, natural light, and stronger spatial connections between floors.

Structural and Spatial Transformation

While preserving the gable roof silhouette, Cedrus Studio reinforced the structure with a steel frame and redistributed loads to improve spatial fluidity. The second basement floor was deepened by 90 centimeters, increasing usability and ceiling height. Interior arches, inspired by Iran’s architectural heritage, reshaped the volumes, giving the house a timeless yet modern identity.

Materiality and Atmosphere

Material selection focused on warmth and familiarity. Handmade brick was chosen as the dominant material, connecting indoor and outdoor spaces while evoking collective memory. Curved interiors softened the geometry, reflecting the surrounding landscape, while arched forms rooted the project in Iranian tradition.

Dialogue with Nature

The Cedrus tree becomes a central presence throughout the house: glimpsed as shadows on the stairs, framed by arches, and fully revealed in the courtyard. This design sequence establishes an emotional relationship between inhabitants and their natural environment. The façade echoes the texture of pine cones with brickwork patterns and perforated louvers, layering natural inspiration into architectural expression.

A Contemporary Iranian Renovation

Though located in a context with limited visible heritage, the house reintroduces Iranian architectural memory through arches, materials, and craftsmanship. This house renovation in Iran exemplifies how contemporary design can reinterpret tradition, integrating place, memory, and nature into a unified residential experience.

Cedrus Studio’s transformation of the unfinished villa into A House Looking to A Cedrus Tree demonstrates the future of house renovation in Iran—a sensitive balance between modern living, cultural memory, and the timeless presence of nature.

All Photographs are works of  Mohammad Hosein Hamzehlouei