Designed during the Covid-19 pandemic, Abrisham Villa emerged from a period when domestic life was being fundamentally redefined. Located in the mountainous landscape of Shandiz near Mashhad, Iran, the project was commissioned for a multi-generational family seeking a living environment that could accommodate both collective life and individual independence.
The site was subject to strict regulations, limiting construction to two floors and 40 percent site coverage. At the same time, the family envisioned a home deeply connected to nature, outdoor activities, and shared experiences. The project therefore began with a central question: how can a compact architectural volume remain open, flexible, and continuously engaged with the landscape?
The design draws inspiration from the qualities of silk—simultaneously protective and light, solid and fluid. A monolithic stone volume establishes a sense of permanence, while a series of courtyards, voids, and open-air spaces are carved into the mass to introduce light, air, and landscape into everyday life. The resulting architecture balances enclosure and openness, creating a spatial system capable of adapting to different patterns of occupation and use.
Positioned between existing mature plane trees, the villa is organized around a linear garden path that extends deep into the building and divides it into two complementary domains. Private and service spaces occupy one wing, while social and recreational functions occupy the other. Between them, a sequence of courtyards and vertical voids creates visual continuity, natural ventilation, and layered relationships between interior and exterior space.
Throughout the project, open space is treated not as a residual element but as an active architectural component. Courtyards extend from the ground floor to the roof, framing views of the sky and landscape while connecting different levels of the house through light, movement, and sightlines.
Originally conceived as a weekend retreat, the villa gradually evolved into the family’s permanent residence. Its flexible spatial organization enabled new forms of living, balancing everyday calm with collective activity. In this way, Abrisham Villa demonstrates how architecture can respond to changing lifestyles while strengthening the relationship between family, nature, and time.
