A Journey from the Exterior to the Interior: A Quest for Illumination and Truth through Layers

Inspired by Attar’s The Conference of the Birds and its narrative of thousands of birds seeking the Simorgh, a journey from the many to the One, our project is rooted in a quest for inner revelation. This spiritual journey, manifested in a physical form, has shaped the spatial narrative of the project.

Tasked with connecting the exterior and interior of the CIP terminal, a global gateway that embodies modernity and dynamism, we sought to create a space that not only offered respite for transient passengers but also celebrated Iran’s rich cultural heritage. This project confronted the contemporary challenge of reconciling the global and the local.

The design revolves around a central void that serves as the spatial organizing principle. This void, a gathering place bathed in natural light, provides a moment of tranquility and a visual connection to the sky. To enhance the void’s potential, we adorned its layered walls with mirrored elements inspired by Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow as the sun moves across the sky.

To accommodate the varying needs of passengers with different dwell times, we segregated the functional and experiential layers. The ground floor of both the arrival and departure buildings houses the primary functions, while the upper floors and lower levels are dedicated to more contemplative spaces.