The project by Iranian studio ZAV Architects aims to raise awareness among the local community and fight illegal oil trafficking.
In the strategic Strait of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf south of Iran, there is a small island unknown to most, the Island of Hormuz, characterized by exceptional and surreal natural landscapes. The island is an ancient and glorious port, strategic for monitoring the movement of oil in the Middle East. It is no coincidence that the only apparently profitable activity for the islanders is illegal oil trafficking. And it is exactly this aspect that Iranian design studio ZAV Architects has worked on with the Presence in Hormuz project to offer the local community political and economic alternatives through architectural and urban planning interventions.
© DJI
© Soroush Majidi
Among these, Presence in Hormuz project involved construction of a multi-purpose cultural residence called Majara Residence (where Majara means "adventure"), made up of many domes, of varying heights, handcrafted by the islanders themselves using strictly local materials and the "superdobe" technique (conceived by Iranian architect Nader Khalili as an alternative to the rammed-earth method).
© Tahmineh Monzavi
© DJI
© Payman Barkhordari
The bright colours and soft lines blend in with this landscape of rare beauty, acting as a landmark for those arriving from the sea and at the same time as a social refuge for those living on the island. As well as being functional, the project is intended to be a manifesto for change and social redemption of the local communities, a process of building a relationship of trust between inhabitants, tourists and institutions, through social, collaborative, proactive architecture.
© Tahmineh Monzavi
© Soroush Majidi
The Majara Residence project is the result of the cooperation of all the parties involved: the landowners of the nearby port of Bandar Abbas (already the protagonists of an annual land-art event in Hormuz), the investors of the capital Tehran, and finally the local community.
© Tahmineh Monzavi
© Tahmineh Monzavi
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