Karaoke House: A Contemporary Iranian Residence Reinterpreting 1970s Domestic Architecture Through Material Revival and Inward-Focused Design

Karaoke House, designed by Man Office in Mashhad, Iran, is a contemporary residential project that revisits the architectural principles of Iranian houses from the 1970s through a critical and forward-looking lens. Rather than indulging in nostalgia, the project seeks to re-evaluate past architectural strategies that once ensured durability, spatial clarity, and environmental performance, many of which have been sidelined by mass production, economic pressures, and short-term construction trends.

With a total area of 360 square meters, the house is located in the Nakhrisi neighborhood, an economically underdeveloped area characterized by narrow alleys, fragmented urban fabric, and visually chaotic surroundings. These contextual conditions strongly informed the architectural response, shaping a design that prioritizes inward-focused spatial quality, privacy, and environmental comfort over outward visual engagement.

Material Revival and Spatial Separation

One of the core ambitions of Karaoke House is the revival of forgotten or underused construction materials that once played a significant role in Iranian residential architecture. Synthetic and resin-based finishes are deliberately avoided in favor of washed cement and small-format tiles, materials that demonstrate greater resilience against erosion, contraction, and expansion. These choices not only improve the building’s longevity but also reintroduce craftsmanship into the construction process, relying on skilled labor rather than industrial shortcuts.

Equally important is the clear separation of functional spaces, an architectural strategy rooted in earlier domestic layouts. By organizing the house with precise zoning and vertical differentiation, the project enhances usability while maintaining spatial independence between public and private areas.

An Inward-Oriented Urban Response

Given the disjointed urban landscape and limited street width surrounding the site, the architects opted to minimize visual connections between the interior and exterior. The facade is largely closed, reinforcing security and shielding the interior from external disorder. Instead of relying on outward views, the house turns inward, organizing daily life around internal light sources, courtyards, and vertical voids.

This approach led to the formation of three primary architectural elements, all unified by the activation of the Z-axis. Changes in level, double-height spaces, and vertical connections become essential tools for bringing daylight, air circulation, and visual depth into the compact urban dwelling.

Terrace-Exhaust: Light and Ventilation as Spatial Drivers

The first key element is the terrace-exhaust, located behind the facade and adjacent to the kitchen and dining area. Designed as a double-height space, it is topped by a T-shaped structure that allows natural light to penetrate from above while facilitating vertical air movement. The integration of operable glass and a folding door enables precise control over light intensity and ventilation, transforming the terrace into a flexible climatic device that enhances both comfort and spatial quality.

Void-Overlook: Vertical Connectivity and Visual Layers

At the heart of the house lies a central void that introduces daylight, sky views, and a tangible sense of time into the interior. This void accommodates the main staircase, which vertically connects the living, dining, and kitchen spaces to the private bedrooms above.

Embedded within this void are overlook openings, inspired by the “snooping windows” commonly found in Iranian houses of the 1970s. These shaded apertures allow visual oversight between spaces while preserving acoustic and functional separation. The result is a layered spatial experience that fosters connection without sacrificing privacy.

Dual Courtyards and Private Outdoor Space

The third defining feature of Karaoke House is its dual courtyard system. A southern courtyard anchors the ground floor, while a terrace-courtyard on the second floor functions as a private sitting area. Together, these outdoor spaces reinforce the inward-looking nature of the house, offering moments of openness, rest, and natural interaction without exposure to the surrounding urban chaos.

Reframing Contemporary Iranian Residential Architecture

Karaoke House stands as a thoughtful reinterpretation of traditional Iranian residential values within a contemporary architectural framework. By reviving durable materials, reactivating vertical spatial strategies, and prioritizing internal environmental quality, the project proposes an alternative model for urban housing in dense and economically challenged neighborhoods. It demonstrates how lessons from past decades can be critically adapted to address present-day social, climatic, and urban realities without resorting to superficial nostalgia.

All photographs are works of Deed Studio