covert factory of creative rebellion

tehran, IRAN

To this day, hopeful demonstrations are resulting in indignation and reckless violence, overall failing to find a successful solution. It is time to explore an unprecedented method of conflict resolution, a form of protest that embodies the main objective within the process of demonstrating, and allows demonstrators to voice their opinions through immediate action and poised, rational rebellion.  
 

 Prior to the Islamic Revolution, Iran embodied a culture similar to that of many Western and European countries— men and women laughed in the streets, musicians gathered near bazaars, families huddled together to listen to the soulful vocals tumble in the breeze, swaying with one another, singing and dancing along; The culture was glowing and vibrant, as were the people.

Now, the right of expression has been stripped.

      As a contemporary application of the French Resistance, this building allows the people of Iran to collaborate and create through a unified network. With the widespread use of virtual communication and news, this unified network does not exist solely in the physical realm; A central, physical structure hosts the production of actions and artifacts that are then distributed through digital webs, reaching every inch of the nation. These webs distribute all forms of expression that Iranians have been hiding for years — art, music, journalism — allowing them to weave their own lifestyles within the existing fabric of the government. A system that is visible, yet unreachable by the Islamic regime. 

Tucked in the northern mountains of Tehran, the structure rests within the soil, hidden from the government, while the public "front" drapes over in plain sight. Although it is physically hidden away, the light of the movement, the hope, still shines strong and spreads over the country digitally.

A progression of paths weaves through the various spaces, expanding and contracting, allowing the public to cleanse their palettes between each experience. The most public spaces are pushed toward the edge of the mountain, while the light wells pierce the live-work units above and progressively feed diffused light to sequential spaces below, allowing occupants to look up towards the heavens, a common act in Persian architecture. 

The different spaces are arranged in a gradient, which in this case, ranges from the top of the mountain, to the bottom. This gradient essentially delegates the amount of light, sound, and security each space receives or absorbs. Amidst this gradient, a secondary experiential layer is introduced that consists of the intermingling of light and water. This visually and acoustically serves different purposes and qualities depending on the various spaces and functions. This is similar to the way the architectural language of those spaces were developed to hold varying qualities depending on the type experience each art discipline requires.
 

In order to maintain security of the source and safety of the artists, another program is tucked within the rebellious production and performance program. As the public "front", it would speak the same formal language architecturally, but would host a different type of art— Art that is publicly allowed by the regime, art that is "pure" and abides by Islamic law. The public would enter through this program, then progress behind the walls to view the "censored", "sinful" art. Displaying different types of art in similar architectural interiors allows the art itself to shape the space and the experience of the users. Just as the revolution changed the country experientially, even though physically, little has changed.