Sharifi-ha House Uncertainty and flexibility lie at the heart of the design concept in Sharifi-ha House. The sensational, spatial qualities of the interiors, as well as the formal configuration of its exterior, directly respond to the displacement of turning boxes that lead the building volume to become open or closed, obtaining introverted or extroverted character. These changes may occur according to changing seasons or functional scenarios of floor plans. Like many other urban plots, the land for this project had a noticeably narrow façade-width compared with its length. Consequently, our expertise in transforming a two-dimensional façade to a three-dimensional one became indispensable. Here, the openness /closure of the building volume is a reference to traditional Iranian houses, which would dynamically serve as seasonal modes of habitation by offering both a Zemestan-Neshin (winter living room) and Taabestan-Neshin (summer living room) to their residents. In summertime, Sharifi-ha House offers an open /transparent /perforated volume with wide, large terraces. In contrast, during Tehran’s cold, snowy winters the volume closes itself, offering minimal openings in total absence of those wide summer terraces. In this project, the challenges to the concepts of open/closed typology (introverted/extroverted character) led to an exciting spatial transformation of an ever-changing residential building. The House is distributed over seven floors: the two basement floors are allocated to family conviviality, fitness facilities, and wellness areas, while the ground floor hosts parking and housekeeping rooms. Public activities all happen on the first and second floors, and the family’s private life takes place on the third and fourth floors. The project consisted of four major parts; the fixed volume of the structure, the void, and the fixed volume and the mobile volume, respectively. When the turning boxes are closed, the building captures sunlight throughout the space of the central void, which also connects the two fixed volumes by suspended bridges. The house adapts to the functional needs of its residents. For instance, depending on whether there is a guest or not, the guest room (located on the second floor) can be reconfigured for different purposes. Similarly, home office and breakfast room (turning rooms on the first and third floors) can change the formality of their appearance according to their residents’ desire. In other words, there is always the possibility of having different seasonal or lighting scenarios, some of which have been already considered in the BMS program of the project. From the initial design steps, we noticed that three pine trees outside could be incorporated into the spaces of the interior. Now, in the open mode of the house, the trees are pleasantly captured by the window frames. Stepping back for about three meters from the permitted construction boundary line allowed us to provide splendid daylight for the basement floors by inserting a glass fountain. The fitness and wellness areas are accommodated between this fountain and the basement pool where reflective installations reverberate the water’s radiance all over the space. The applied manufacturing technique for the turning mechanism was in fact a simple one; the same method which is currently employed in turning theatrical scenes, turning the floor of car exhibitions, steel companies and the shipping industry in Iran. But as our client himself was into importing CNC and other similar industrial German machines, he preferred the structural system to be fabricated in Germany. In doing so, he could engage his employees in the manufacturing process and thus train them for future maintenance purposes. Details of the handrails and air-penetration controlling methods were major issues considered in developing the design of the turning boxes. Designing foldable handrails and refining the edges of the boxes happened to be our feasible solutions. Considering the specialties of this kind of architecture, the structural system was inevitably a customized one. After digitally modeling the structure, a series of SAP2000 analysis were undertaken to examine static/dynamic performance of the proposed system. Being partially moveable is the dominant feature of this structural assembly, which was contemplated throughout the fabrication process by the German manufacturer company. The main loads all rest on the beams of the living rooms. Due to the various configurations the turning boxes may take, the loading calculation has been estimated based on the largest possible loading value applied to the system. Additionally, in order to prevent structural deformation controlling the probable vibrations in the turning boxes was taken into account during the design/calculations of the structure. The house was titled Sharifi-ha House, in honor of traditional Iranian mansions.

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

If you're looking to make a statement with the decor of your home or office, you can't go wrong with the Large Horizon Falls fountain. This indoor water fall is in the tradition of the popular Nojoqui falls series, but with a horizontal rather than vertical orientation. The result is a cascade of water streaming down a four foot wide span of beautiful Indian Rajah Slate to slip past the included polished river rocks below--a sight that will command the attention of anyone who enters the room. These water fountains are a truly unique, engaging and an elegant addition to any indoor space. Redesigned, the Large Horizon Falls fountain includes long-lasting super bright white LED lights rated for over 10,000 hours of use and an ergonomic finger slide remote control to easily dim or brighten the LED lights or turn them on and off. This water fountain glistens as water sheets over the genuine multi-color Indian Rajah Slate creating a soothing sound and beautiful focal point for any room. This fountain is engineered with Bluworld's clog-free, splash-free design and features the Water Wonders NSI™ genuine light weight Slate. Installation is super easy with the lightweight nature of the NSI™ slate panels. Simply hang on the wall per the instructions. This water fountain can be customized with your logo. Etched and hand-painted logos start at only $395.00. Contact our sales department for more information at 1-888-499-5433. The Large Horizon Falls fountain is the perfect size to hang on just about any wall, and it will instantly raise the level of class in any living room, foyer, office or lobby. These indoor water falls come with a choice of four finishes: Standard colors; Copper Vein and Black Onyx and premium finishes; Copper Patina,or Brushed Stainless Steel. Water Wonders NSI™ Light Weight Slate™- Water fountains made with our NSI™ Light Weight Slate use our patent pending technology which sheers a layer of genuine Indian Raja Slate and fuses it to composite material with the same chipped edge technique as slab slate. They are indistinguishable from a thick slab of slate. All the beauty is retained and the weight is reduced by over 90% making it easier to hang a wall fountain. Once it's installed, your only concerns are setting the flow rate and turning on the accent light with your handy remote. Please note that these units are handmade and measurements may vary slightly. Texture and color of aged rustic copper, metals and slate may also vary slightly with each fountain.

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after