Kanoon

The Children and Youth Intellectual Development Center aims to increase its active branches across Tehran city by undertaking the renovation of one of its old and inactive buildings in District 2 of Tehran. Initially designed by Karaman Diba, the center’s lower two floors were constructed but the building’s execution was halted after the 1979 revolution, leaving it as a storage facility. In this project, we have drawn inspiration from the concept of a children’s palace while preserving the original plan and respecting the previous architect. The buildings in this project are like Lego blocks stacked on top of each other, adorned with four-arched arches, creating an imaginative space for children on four floors. The building incorporates terraces at each level, connecting them internally through an elevator and externally through stairs, offering various activity areas. The design of this project has made efforts to represent the ancient pattern of a fantasy world palace, which Walt Disney also drew inspiration from. Due to the lower site level compared to the adjacent streets, this project benefits from the advantage that users can have a bird’s-eye view of the building and perceive a different perspective of it. To enter the building, users must cross the designed bridge and enter the main plaza, from where they can access the building or the Iranian garden. In designing the project’s surroundings, we have made every effort to create simple garden spaces that encourage greater interaction between children and nature and provide resting areas for their parents.