A conference brought to you by the Iranian Heritage Foundation at Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7LP.

The main focus of this conference is to look at the evolution of 20th century architecture in Iran, concentrating on the transition from traditional to postmodern architecture.

On the whole, there has been limited research on the evolutionary aspects of the 20th century post-Qajar architecture of Iran. The essential difference between the development of modern architecture in Europe and Iran is that in Europe architecture was evolutionary encompassing several centuries and accompanied by new technologies, whereas in Iran it leaped from traditional to modern in less than a century.

The purpose of the conference is to discuss and evaluate the overall shortcomings and successes of modern architecture in Iran, as well as recognise the achievements of Iranian architects and the works they have created.

 

The Programme

09.15-09.45 Registration and coffee

09.45-10.00 Welcome address
Vahid Alaghband, Chairman, Iran Heritage Foundation
Dr John Curtis, CEO, Iran Heritage Foundation

Transition from Traditional to Postmodern
10.00-11.30
Dr Dariush Borbor (Research Institute and Library of Iranian Studies)
A Comparative Analysis of Contemporary Architecture in Iran and the West

Dr Iraj Etessam (University of Tehran)
Academic and Professional Architectural Practice in Iran: Evolution from Traditional to Post Modern

Prof. Ali Madanipour (Newcastle University)
Architecture and Cultural Change

11.30-12.00 Tea & coffee

12.00-1.30
Alireza Sagharchi (INTBAU)
‘Persian Grace’: National Romanticism in 20th Century Iranian Architecture

Mehran Gharleghi (Studio INTEGRATE)
Contemporary Iranian Architecture and the Dichotomy between Modernism and Tradition

Dr Mina Marefat (Georgetown University)
By Design: Kaleidoscope of Modernity and Architecture in Iran

1.30-2.30 Lunch

Iranian Architects
2.30-3.30
Dr Dariush Borbor (BORBOR Consulting Architects, Engineers, Planners)
Different and Modern yet Iranian

Leila Araghian (Diba Tensile Architecture)
Tabiat Pedestrian Bridge

3.30-4.00 Tea & coffee

4.00-5.00 Panel discussion and Q&A

5.00-6.00 Reception

 

For further details please visit the Iran Heritage Foundation’s website here.