The Aria Technology Center was developed on a site that already contained an existing foundation. What initially appeared to be a limiting constraint gradually became a source of inspiration throughout the design process. Rather than erasing the traces of the past, the design team sought to transform them into a starting point for the future. The existing foundation and structural column grid were carefully analyzed and adopted as the basis for defining the new spatial organization. However, the fundamental premise of the design was not merely to adapt to the pre-existing structure, but to create an architecture capable of expressing the spirit of creativity and innovation at the core of Aria Teb Firouz’s knowledge-based activities.
The company’s work is fundamentally based on the interaction between two dimensions: research and production. On one side, researchers and specialists work across medical and technological fields, while on the other, assembly, testing, and prototyping processes take place in close proximity. This functional relationship led to the organization of the project into two primary volumes. The southern block is dedicated to research, laboratory, and development spaces, while the northern block accommodates production, testing, and prototyping. This spatial separation is not conceived as a division, but rather as a connection between thought and action within the process of innovation. Between the two volumes, a central open space emerges as the building’s “breathing void”—a space that draws natural light and fresh air deep into the building while simultaneously accommodating vertical and horizontal circulation. Bridges and walkways connecting the two blocks serve not only functional purposes but also become spatial expressions of the continuous dialogue between research and production. Within this void, the staircases flow like a continuous turquoise stream, weaving together the different spaces and levels of the building. These vertical connections are not merely circulation elements; they provide opportunities for interaction, encounter, and the exchange of ideas among the building’s users, activating the dynamic spirit of the complex.
In the design of the exterior envelope, the column structure established by the existing foundation is expressed openly and exposed within the interior, serving as a reminder of the project’s original constraints and its architectural roots. In contrast, the newly introduced elements and additions are articulated through a lighter and more transparent language, positioned behind layers of glass and translucent materials. This approach makes the concept of “building upon the past” visually legible throughout the project. The resulting composition allows for visual permeability, interaction, and supervision across all levels, while the surrounding brick envelope—shaped according to the geometry of the columns and the logic of the existing structural system—creates a unified and coherent volume that responds appropriately to the surrounding climate and context. The Aria Technology Center is ultimately an attempt to transform constraint into opportunity: a building that emerges from an existing structure to become a living framework for growth, research, and innovation.
