AnDo Residential Building: Contemporary Brick Residential Architecture in Tehran by NextOffice

Redefining Urban Living with Brick Architecture

The AnDo Residential Building, designed by NextOffice, reimagines urban living through a striking interplay of space, material, and context. Located in Tehran, Iran, this 2611 m² residential complex brings together the warmth of traditional Iranian brickwork with a contemporary architectural language that reflects both cultural roots and modern needs.

Concept: Duality and Movement in Residential Design

The project’s name, AnDo, meaning "those two" in Farsi, encapsulates the core concept: two synchronous yet independent residential units per floor, dynamically engaged through a sculptural stairway. This stairway, positioned like a spine between the masses, creates a three-dimensional promenade that animates circulation and strengthens the spatial experience.

Rather than isolating spaces, the design interweaves open terraces, yards, and entry points with the circulation path, crafting a seamless flow across levels while preserving privacy for each unit. The result is a residence that feels alive—interactive, connected, and thoughtfully layered.

Contextual Façade Strategy

The duality of the site’s context played a significant role in shaping the project. To the north lies a school, prompting a more closed and introspective façade with minimal openings. This contrast heightens the openness of the southern façade, which faces expansive urban views and responds with generous glazing and cut-outs that enhance natural light and visual connectivity.

This contrasting approach allows the building to respond sensitively to its environment, offering both protection and openness where needed.

Villa-Like Residential Experience in an Urban Setting

Each level’s two residential units maintain distinct spatial identities. The concept of "urban villas" is preserved through thoughtful articulation of volumes and the avoidance of repetition in unit layout. While the design language remains consistent, no two units are the same. This diversity within cohesion gives the residents a unique sense of place while maintaining architectural harmony throughout.

Material Expression: Celebrating Iran’s Brick Heritage

Brick serves as both the structural and poetic element of AnDo. In a nod to Iran’s ancient brick-building traditions, the project incorporates handmade bricks using colored mud from nearby hills. The result is a façade with a rich and varied texture, expressing local heritage while embracing modern aesthetics.

This brickwork not only enhances the tactile quality of the building but also deepens its cultural narrative. The color variation, warmth, and familiarity of the materials ground the building in its Iranian identity while offering a refreshing contrast to more sterile urban developments.

Architectural Innovation Rooted in Place

AnDo stands as a bold yet grounded example of contemporary brick residential architecture. Its formal vitality and material sensitivity elevate the everyday act of living into a cultural experience. By harmonizing openness and enclosure, tradition and modernity, individuality and coherence, NextOffice has created a housing typology that is both innovative and deeply contextual.

A New Urban Typology for Tehran

The AnDo Residential Building is more than a collection of apartments—it’s a reinterpretation of domestic space within Tehran’s dense urban fabric. With its villa-like essence, experiential circulation, and expressive brick façade, AnDo challenges conventional residential design and offers a model for contemporary living rooted in place, culture, and craft.

All Photographs are works of Neel Studio, Parham Taghioff, Ehsan Hajirasouliha