Hitra Commercial-Office Building by Hooba Design Group is located at the sloped intersection of two main streets in the Velenjak neighbourhood of Tehran. Form was key in realizing the essence of the project with formal elements used in both the overall entity and the individual parts.
Commercial zones and entrances were arranged to create outdoor patios for people to relax while the upper floors of the development are dedicated to office units. Following the existing slope of the site, the commercial zone of the project was formed in three levels. There are two entrances (North and South) to the office section, both of which are connected to the administrative lobby of the complex.
Two of the project’s main considerations were the creation of an integrated volume and the re-evaluation of the 40% limit to glass used on the façade as required by local regulations. These regulations contribute to the city’s commonly found interior void/courtyard typology.
The primary volume of the project was formed by drawing the conventional interior void to the fore of the building. The void in this case not only forms the main entrance of the building but also provides light and views to the central units. This new morphology increases the surface area of the building in contact with the city and connects people to the office zone through a welcoming entrance.
The building’s exterior is clad with an integrated double-skin facade comprising an outer porous skin formed by brick and metal frames. The brick and metal frame modules afford larger openings in the façade with sizes of the frames based on their location in the façade.
Meanwhile, continuous glass windows on the inner layer of the double-skin allow for proper sunlight penetration to the office units, reducing the electricity consumption throughout the building.
