Alamoot Village, Qazvin Provice, Iran: 2008 MIPIM DESIGN COMPETITION AWARD

The plan is intended to be a self sustaining project and eco measures include saving water and snow-melt for multiple re-use, earth pipe cooling , solar heating  , through ventilation , the use of building form to maximize energy conservation and waste management.

Two young architects from Iran,  Somayeh Rokhgireh and Ali Pooladi, designed a sustainable rural residential pattern for a small mountainous village in 100 miles North West of Tehran and won two prestigious award from the 6^th year MIPIM architectural review future project awards in Cannes, France on March 2008.  Even they surpassed large US architectural firms like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, USA or UK based Mann Architects, London.

For this project, they won both SUSTAINABILITY as well as REGENERATION AND MASTERPLANNING awards.  See official Link!  or  www.demaniore.com/

Project Description
Location : Alamoot , Qazvin Province ,Iran                Area : 13500 acre
Designer : Somayeh Rokhgireh                  Co- designer :Ali Pooladi
Client : UNDP/GEF

 Alamoot village is designed as a small mountainous village allocated mainly to residential, cultural and economical activities in Alamoot region .

Considering historically and aesthetically significant potentials of the region ( As the historical capital of Ismailie and Hasan Sabah ) and following the economical stagnation as well as migration in the rural areas ;experts took the position that a project based on the principles of eco-tourism would make positive contribution to the local community through locally defined initiatives .

 The village proposed plan consist of 8 major parts :

 1- Residential part which is allocated to the accommodation of groups comprising : Eco-tourists , archeologists , experts of environmental , agricultural and demography  issues and etc..

 2- planting , processing ,exhibiting and selling of herbal medicine workshop

 3- Permanent indoor and temporary outdoor markets of selling local community products including dairy , foods , agricultural products as well as handicrafts .

 4- Restaurants of organic food made by local cook .

 5- Indoor sport and restaurant recreational center .

 6- An auditorium to hold seminars of scientific issues as well as committing traditional and ritual local ceremonies.

 7- ICT center as a center for engaging the local community with the international world . In order to demonstrate and trade their products via the net market .

 8- courts as the centers for outdoor social activity , communication and holding ceremonies .

 9- underground parking beneath the village for daily services and an open space parking outside the site of the village ( cars are not allowed to enter on the site surface

Planning principles and sustainability strategies :

  As the main principle it can be claimed that the design aims to lay down an integrated view of man living in harmony with nature , culture and economy of the context ;which are considered as three realms of sustainable design .

 1-The village is targeted to be as self -sustaining as possible  in terms of water , waste , food and energy Relevant strategies explained below would be regarded as provisions concluding this goals .

 2- typologically , cascading terraces form of the village follows the slope on the site and hence the orientation of the terraces face the south .  Advantages of this strategy include :

      A- the village would merge into the landscape

      B- Reaping the benefits of south sunlight via the south facing windows

      C- making use of soil as natural insulation , hence reducing heating and cooling load .

 3- cascading terraces around the village are used to grow crops and plants that have been used for food , medicine and traditional ceremonies.   Advantages of this strategy include :

     A- promoting  sustainable agriculture and perma-culture practices for local community as well as experts and agri-tourisms participating in the agricultural activities .

     B- Integrating architecture and cultural activities by including visitors participation in the traditional passive cultivation and gathering of native plants .

     C- making the village self-sufficient incase of food and herbal plants

 4- Allocating the landscape in front of  the entrance to outdoor daily market of the local community product and handicrafts as complementary market to the indoor exhibition Advantages of this strategy include :

     A- the income from the tourism would be intended to support local community .

      B- Juxtaposition of the local people and tourist would encourage formal and informal interaction .

 5- Utilizing several methods for regulating interior temperature as well as providing village with clean energy including :

      A- making use of tubes channeled through the earth as a passive strategy of making benefit from the earth as an accumulator

     B- developing an array of passive and active solar strategies .  A set of solar collectors settle in the southern fields to harvest electricity from the sun

     C- Provision of cross ventilation as a passive energy strategy .

     D- making use of shading devices which have been locally used to  control glare , and thermal load - including secondary wooden netted windows and grape vine in front of openings .

 6- Developing Ice-box method to assist and reduce cooling load in summer as well as purifying grey water pollutants

 7- Saving and recycling water and snow melt according to the contemporary and traditional means . After treatment , grey water would be reused for farming irrigation.

8- Developing dry and wet waste disposal management strategies :

     A- composting organic waste into a fertile soil and burning gas for eco-tours

      B- utilizing not recyclable waste to make retaining walls capable of growing plants on them .

9-Utilizing local and recyclable materials -wood , stone , soil,..- as a key strategy to make the village environmentally responsible and responsive .  

Press Report :
Iran village won double prize at future project awards in the big event of MIPIM in Cannes, France

 The 6^th year MIPIM architectural review future project awards recognize the role that design quality plays in the creation of successful developments .the competition is held in 7 catagories namely : Big urban project , Master planning & regeneration , Mixed use , Tall building , Retail & leisure ,Residential Office and all categories competed in the field of sustainability . This year^, s 200 entries including professional firms such as SOM , KPF , Atkins ,Aedas ,... covered a wide range of approaches , and were well up to standard in terms of quality .

  At this year competition , Alamoot village was known as the only project that was awarded two prizes : as the winner of Master planning & regeneration and also the most sustainable projects amongst all 200 entries .

 The Best of show projects during the previous 5 years competition included :

 2003 - Swiss Re Project -Firm/ practice : Norman Foster & Partners

2004- Central Bank of Kuwait -Firm/practice : SOM( SKIDMORE , OWINGS& MERRILL LLP )

2005- Turning Torso -Firm /practice : Santiago Calatrava in conjunction with SAMARK Arkitekture & Design AB

2006- Dohe Gardens -Firm/practice : Nabil GHolam architecture & planning

2007- Residential project by Peter Marino Architect - PLLC

  MIPIM is the annual international conference and exhibition event for the property industry which is hold every year for more than 20 years  .The event  is known as one of the biggest event for everyone involved in building tomorrow ^,s world . This year event included  29318 participants comprising architects , investors , contractors and any other groups related to the issue from 89 countries around the world .

Press Report of the annual catalogue of MIPIM architectural review future projects award :

 The proposal of Alamoot village is based on the proposition that eco - tourism will make a positive contribution to a stagnating local community suffering effects of rural migration .

The plan is intended to be a self sustaining project and eco measures include saving water and snow-melt for multiple re-use, earth pipe cooling , solar heating  , through ventilation   the use of building form to maximize energy conservation and waste management

 The judges were impressed by the care and attention brought to a relatively modest project but one where environmental design principles can be deployed and tested .

 This Iranian rural development was the judges unanimous first choice to win the sustainability award.

 The architects have addressed everything possible in their desire to create a model for successful development in difficult circumstances , thought the judges . " The proposal makes the most of both natural and human resources ".

About Designers of Alamoot village :

Architect:  Somayeh Rokhgireh - M Arch -  Graduated from Shahid Beheshti University in 2007  email:  <...somayeh.rokhgireh@,,,,,gmail.com,,,,,>

  Co-Architect:  Ali Pooladi - M Arch - Graduated from International university if Imam in 2000 - Director of 3plus4co

 The two named architects have established  3plus4co office in Tehran since 2002.   WWW.3plus4co.com  

3plus4 architecture & interior design group   claims to be a responsive designer  and executor group that creates innovative environment with a sustainable and local style architecture  focus. In order to nourish our design concepts in case of aesthetic & decorative aspects we established 3plus4 gallery to create a wide range of unique handmade artful pieces and furniture designed upon customers order

We try to span  arts of different eras & styles to create an innovative &artistic diversity in the contemporary living spaces. We have already held projects of offices ,hotels, residential and public buildings, in Iran , UK , Dubai .In order to be more informed about our projects and art gallery

 Outside Links :
 www.siap.org
 www.summitpost.org
 www.wikimapia.org

Prepared:  Majid Falamaki