The Portfolio Sepehr Zhand
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Index 4
Resumé MArch Final Thesis | AA School of Architecture
Academic
Informality as a method. Dharavi, Mumbai
Tainan Integrated Mobility Strategy
Academic Professional
5 10
In Associaiton with Cheng Kung University
Lower Lea Calley
Academic
Urban Strategy Workshop | AA Housing and Urbanism Program
UbiQuiPlex
Professional
Competition, 54th IFHP International World Congress, Brazil, THIRD PRIZE
STUDIO PROJECT
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Professional
Commissioned design - under construction
Mortazavi School of Religious Studies
Professional
Conceptual design phase
BArch Final Thesis
Sabze Meydan, Tehran, Iran
Academic
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE ANALYSIS
Academic
AGA NOUR mosque
PHOTOGRAPHY
Academic Professional
Informal Urbanism Failed Housing Estates Life Reflections
Architectural Sketches
Academic
Construction Detail Design
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Academic
Qale Mahmoud Plaza
URBAN SPATIAL ANALYSIS
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Academic
Residental Complex, Design Studio V
Maryam Apartment
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Academic Professional
32 34 36 46 48 3
Sepehr Zhand Architect, Urbanist
cv
Teaching Experience: 2014-16 Azad University - Qods Campus Design Studio Instructor (Housing and Housing Complex Design) 2015-16 Azad University - Parand Campus Design Studio Instructor (Housing Complex Design) Studio Experience: 2013- 18 Famitan Architects
4 Ash Tree Court, 106 Prospect Ring London N2 8GR UK
Architect | Responsible for design and implementation of upgrading solutions for
2014- 15
2008-10
Space Syntax Laboratory, Bartlett Faculty of Built Environment,University College London, London, UK
MArch
(Housing and Urbanism), Architectural Association School of Architecture, London, UK
2010
BArch
2006
High School Diploma in Mathematics,
University of Tehran, Faculty of Fine Arts, School of Archi tecture, Tehran, Iran
NODET [National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents], Kerman, Iran
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Farsi [Native]
English [Fluent]
Spanish
[Elementary proficiency]
Arabic [Elementary proficiency]
SKILLS AND SOFTWARES SOFTWARES:
SKILLS:
Rhinoceros, VRay, AutoCad, Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Lightroom, Premiere) SketchUp, ArcGIS, QGIS, Depth MapX,MS Office, NetLogo, Python
Amateur DSLR photography, Model Making, Amateur Wood working
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ACECR - Faculty of Fine Arts Branch - UT
Reseach Administrator
Agour Consultant Engineers
(junior Arcihtect)
PhD Candidate
2010-11
EDUCATION
2013
Informal Settlements and Dilapidated Fabrics in The Metropolitan region of Tehran and
Karaj
Tel: +44 7508 938 707 Email: sepehr.zhand@gmail.com 2018- present
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Nazar Consultant Engineers
(junior Arcihtect)
Freelance Clients: 2103 Mortazavi School for Religious Studies
Design Phase
2015 Maryam Apartment Architect 2008-10 Manzar Magazine
executive partner, Photographer 2011
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
AA Bursary
Graduate School, AA School of Architecture
2010
IFHP 2010 International Student’s Competition, Brazil
2006 2006- Present 2003
Admission and Full Scholarship in University Of Tehran Member of “National Elite’s Foundation of Iran”
Third Prize
Khwarizmi National Award First Rank in Physics and Robatics
PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES
2016 Design and Implementation of an upgrading programme for Hesar-e-Bala | Programme Lead and Coordinator , Karaj, Iran 2015 Housing Typology Design as a part of the Gentrification Scheme for Bagh-e-Azari | Architect and Designer , Tehran, Iran 2014 2014-15
Mosha’ , A two week workshop on re-thinking of Shared Spaces in Mass Housing Projects | co-curator and critic A Research on Mehr Social Housing Programme funded by the Ministry of Road and Urban Development | Research administrator
Informality As A Method
AA School of Architecture
Dharavi
Mumbai
In this oversight, Dharavi is being considered as an entry point in Mumbai; the place where people initially find job and a place to live, get experienced and then have the option of staying, going back or moving to different industries in other parts of Mumbai or India. With such definition for Dharavi, there seems to be a need for a set of guidelines which are originally extracted from Dharavi itself. The patterns that the industries, the life styles, ethical and regional characteristics of the people, who just arrive in Dharavi will be shaping such guidelines. 5
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Dharavi is dense fabric of housing and industrial units which are supporting and producing the services needed for India and Mumbai. This situation has emerged when the people started to building it up out of regulations in Mumbai. The pull factor –active industries- in the area functions as a magnet for people, who lack jobs or looking for a platform to enhance their life. The outcome of such situation is a flux of work force that migrates to Dharavi in certain patterns and ways. For people who arrive in Dharavi there is always an opportunity of a job to get them started and settled. Such an immediate availability of job vacancies, illustrates the flexibility and adaptability of such territory. “Dharavi, in fact, symbolizes the problem the growing cities in most developing countries face-that of unequal development. The countryside is deprived, stagnant; the cities become the ‘engines of growth’, attracting capital, creating avenues for work, providing access to services ad allowing some people to make millions and many more to subsist. Inevitably, those who cannot survive in the countryside-usually the poorest-have no option but to migrate to the nearest urban center.”
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With the special situation in Dharavi, such as the over growing costs of land and the existing financial and educational poles around it, the industries in Dharavi are in the danger of being wiped out and get replaced by high rises and their massive negative effects in the living conditions of Mumbai. Exploring the new live work conditions in Dharavi not only help enhance the quality of the housing units and industries but also justifies the logic for keeping the industry and dealing with the real estate forces in a more sustainable way. “but we also know that the sequence of movement and settlement that characterizes migrancy was seen to have a range of unsettling effects: jeopardizing social cohesion; straining housing and servicing infrastructure; disrupting sense of home and belonging; inducing social resentment and racism, and herein lay the ‘threat’ to the territorial logics of nation and metropolis.” (Crains, 2004)
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The informal growth in this study, is taken as a resource for learning from, and the derving measures o ultimate survaval that are both sustainable and justifiable. moving away from conevtional standards, the proposed system aims for requalifying the edge as well as responding to the growth of Dharavi in a resourceful manner. By using the grid, basic infrastructure, and the pocket spaces, the system contorls the density. The overgrowing of the fabric is controlled by the use of the physical boundary of the canals.
The change of quality happens as the informal method of Dharavi is maintained in an informed manner. The productive characteristics of Dharavi can benefit Mumbai and yet due to the strategies of the proposal the living quality of the area would be enhanced. Having the advantage of being a part of Dharavi’s productive sector, the proposed system of growth would be responding positively to the growth of Dharavi.Dharavi in my thesis was the systems that it has informally established. We can actually use the informality as a method, for redeveloping such conditions that previously were known to be a burden for the planning strategies.
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mobility Tainan Integrated Mobility Strategy
In associaiton with Cheng Kung University
Tainan
bus stops and routes
major city ac2vi2es
hierarchy of mobility system
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Taiwan
As a rising center for knowledge and technology, developing an integrated mobility strategy for the city center of Tainan becomes of utmost importance. linking the means of transportation in micro, meso and macro scales, the strategy tends to provide a seamless interaction between the knowledge and production centers, thus creating synergies that are innovative in nature. Being the intersection of two major axis of mobility, the enhanced mobility system in the region would result in enhanced industry as well as knowledge. Through this strategy not only the various means of mobility are synergetically connected, but the arcade and the alley way typology of the built environment is also being used efficiently. The overall argument tries to efficiently use the existing condition, making the least necessary physical intervention. Considering that the site is connected to the rest of the technological hubs of the country through the high-speed rail, using the integrated mobility system arguablly increases the chance of intersecting productive innovation and industry.
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Lower Lea Valley Workshop
AA School of Architecture
Housing and Urbaism Programme
The Lower Lea Valley has the potential to sustain its industrial quality if an argument is made to integrate it with the urban character of the region. The aim is to investigate the industries, to structure, develop, and re-qualify them such that they become more productive, not only for their individual gain but also for the surrounding communities. This requires vast amounts of detailed investigations, tests and strategic theories to address the multitude of layered facets and results in interventions with local and regional impact. Thus an argument emerges to transform the Lower Lea Valley into more than just an industrial sector near the center of London, to develop an industrial urbanity that supports and encourages the coexistence of various types of industries and public integration within the industrial areas that are conducive to such expansion. This transformation not only fosters productive relationships between the various industries themselves, but also with the surrounding institutions and neighborhoods. A multi-scalar approach to introduce an industrial urbanity would give Lower Lea Valley the ability to adapt to the ever-changing context and technologies thus giving it a better chance to survive the development pressures in becoming a mono-functional suburb of London.
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To enable the Lower Lea Valley to be successful at the regional scale and productive for its local context, smaller interventions within the valley will not be adequately effective without a strong argument and regional strategy. Institutions, Infrastructure and Industries were found to be the predominantly relevant elements. A proposed productive combination of these three elements could work as a conceptual methodology having the potential to develop into drivers for change and development in the Lower Lea Valley.
Furthermore the use of a spatial methodology consisting of points, lines, and territories helped to investigate and structure the site. The Lower Lea Valley has many points of interests that have varied functionalities and unique characteristics. These are sometimes institutions, industries, parks or iconic developments. In addition, the valley has many strong lines which are often infrastructural, manmade, or natural. The combination of these points and lines produces some interesting territories within which exists a great potential to develop meaningful synergies between insitutions, infrastructure and industries, which are established under an umbrella of a conceptual approach.
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BoroughofTowerHamlets
Borough of Newham
To structure the investigation of Lower Lea Valley, the established concepts and methodologies were used to study the qualities, complexities, and potentials of the existing territories and to understand, question, and test the relationship between the local and regional fabric. The analysis of the Lower Lea Valley was carried out along three particular lines of infrastructure – the greenway, the railway line, and the roads. The lines were specifically chosen as tools of investigation, as they are completely different from one another in terms of the speed of movement along them, their porosity and their physical characteristics. Each of these lines reveal complexities as they traverse different conditions and circumstances along their length, thus these lines of infrastructure became interesting tools to investigate and analyze the Lower Lea Valley and gain an understanding of the whole region. Thames River
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The propositional strategy aims to transform the Lower Lea Valley into more than just an industrial zone. The larger framework sets up a sustainable industrial region by requalifying existing industries and developing new typologies to facilitate synergies between industries and with the surrounding neighbourhoods making it more productive at the local scale. This proposal is supported by urbanizing the industrial area and introducing institutions and support infrastructure to service the neighbouring communities as well as create meaningful collaborations with the industries. In addition the institutional clusters at the proposed town centres behave as nodes of transition from the residential to the industrial character of Lower Lea Valley. The existing mobility systems in Lower Lea Valley are high speed infrastructure which function regionally but create a landscape of isolated zones at the local level. The proposed secondary infrastructure system consist of enhancing a few locally relevant vehicular roads and a pedestrian network linked together with landscape allowing for the blurring of boundaries between what used to be rigid land uses. This secondary system synthesizes the various territories of the Lower Lea Valley.
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Thus the proposed transformation of Lower Lea Valley becomes relevant to the neighbouring communities on either side of it as the secondary mobility system’s public realm makes the various institutions and support infrastructure accessible. Thus Lower Lea Valley develops into a new type of neighbourhood which is characterized by a productive industrial urbanity. The aim is to to create a spatial strategic plan for the entire region of Lower Lea Valley, which details out the larger concepts to setup the entire proposal. The development of a master strategy rather than a master plan, which allows for flexibility and has the ability to adapt to a changing context, is a more sustainable approach when dealing with a large peripheral urban region like the Lower Lea Valley. Even if the specific programs and ownerships of the proposed interventions alter to adapt to a changing context, the larger framework of the master strategy of retaining the industries by introducing urban integration, creating institutional collaborations and developing a secondary infrastructure system through landscape to synthesize the valley would still remain relevant.
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UbiQuiPlex 54th IFHP World Congress, International student competition
3rd Prize
Porto Algre, Brazil The abandoned region of Morro Santa Teresa, porto alegre, RS, Brazil was presented as a part of City with potentials that could used in order to enhance the life of the favelas surrounding the area along with providing tourist attractions for all the city.
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UbiQuiPlex The tesselation is adjusted so as to make smaller parts around the slums which could hold for profitable and necessary functions for them-like small shops-and grow to bigger pieces in the middle of the site or toward the shore.
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The apllied pattern provides tiles which can be used for variety of functions according to their usage
The tesselation provides an accomodation between the proposed fabric and the surrounding fabric.
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UbiQuiPlex The pattern used for providing the tesselation was generated by a natural logic, same as the one which is creating the favela rural texture. three attractor points was used according to the places where the slums are mainly focused.
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The Voronoi algorithme, Generated by Grasshopper plugin
To absorb the traffic flux of the city to the region, what we proposed is essentially made of “streets” and “pedestrians” and differentiated the region based on them. We intentionally avoided building anything that could be categorized under “architecture”, I will explain the reason later.
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Design Studio V University of Tehran
Housing Complex
Tehran
The main goal to achieve a sustainable design in the residental complex, among a variety of perplexicated factors seems to be “ Bringing back life to the Neighborhood as It is meant to be”
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Inspired by the living method used by the Old Iranians as based on “the Shared public space” provides the whole Concept Of the
Housing complex.
Trying to rethink a multi unit family dwelling complex ,the design approach derived from simple understading of the site as well as the common typology in the area which corresponds well to the topology of the surrounding. it is an struggle to re-envision the joint family cluster typology, while using the natural and site constraints as design axuillary guidelines.
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Maryam Apartment Commissioned design | Under Construction
Residential Building Kerman
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On a commission to design a 5 storey residential building in the city of Kerman, Iran, this is an effort to provide optimum accommodation for five large families (4+ per family) including parking space for all. The cirterias in the design process include providing the maximum sunlight in through the northern and southern windows as well as the possibility for natural ventilation through open corridor within the plan, which would allow for the strreams through and assist natural cooling. 25
Mortazavi School for religious studies Conceptual design phase
Mixed Use Building Kerman
Previously a housing estate belonged to the Mortazavi family, the brief demanded a revision of the previous building, which used to accommodate religious rituals as well as housing a big family. The client already requested a place for religious studies as well as exhibition and commercial section which would bring economic independence to the school. The inward looking structure of the educational section is derived from the original house, the void in the entrance is used as a hinge to link the two part in meaningful way, conserving the intimacy of the school as well as ttaking advantage of the two main axis on the sides of site.
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BArch Thesis University of Tehran
Qale Mahmoud Plaza Kerman
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Addressing an architectural question with an urban scale, the project tries to bring local functions to address the urban importance of the site as well. The site of the project has been an adjascent plaza to a castle and the sand dug from it to build the bricks for Qale Mahmoud had left an arena where social and commercial affairs of the citizens used to be addressed. On another hand with the gorwth of the modernized movement structure there is a danger of this heritage being merged into a commercial fabric. The proposal suggest an elevated structure for pedestrian movement to be able to experience the ancient surrounding fabric, as well as the restored and raised plan of the deteriorated urban plaza. The functions surrounding the redefined plaza include commercial passage, concert hall, as well as schools and a foodcourt. The complex as whole seeks to provide an urban public space which would compensate for the demolished old urban fabric.
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Urban Spatial Analysis
Analysing the functional borders and territories of sabze meydan, using the visualized models, reveals the hidden social-cultural emphasis points that have been modified by society during the years of its usage.
Sabze Meydan
Has been the most significant social and cultural public space in the old city of Tehran, and as a result holds a major part of the history of life in the city. As the growth of the city seems unstopable, the need for preserving the Identical points of the city heritage becomes more critical. Getting to know the different factors, taking part in making the whole ambiance helps the renewal design, face the challenge stronger.
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Islamic Architecture Analysis Structure Analysis of the Central Dome of AGA NOUR mosque
Exploring into the Cultural and Technological features of Islamic world which influenced the Iranian architecture will help the overall understanding of the contemporary palasticity formation of the Iranian Architecture and Urban development.
AGA NOUR among the Iranian society.
Mosque is an example of what, and how the impressions of the Islam world was accepted
Observing the color range used in indoor and outdoor spaces and decorations, improves the overall undestanding of the ambiance that the architect meant to create
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Photography Informal Urbanism Tehran Nikon D80 As a part of a personal interest and research, this is an effort to depict the various, yet similar specificities of the the informal urbanism around the world
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As an ultimate way of survival, through informality the extreme conditions of inaccessibility, draught and socio political segregation is met and addressed via somehow intelligent solutions
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Photography Informal Urbanism Mumbai Nikon D80
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Despite the common misconceptions, the informal urbanism, not only supports the city through providing services in the background. Generating synergies between live and work conditions, the informal city is a natural response to the failing planning discipline.
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Photography Failed Housing Estate Kerman Nikon D80
As the biggest social housing programme in Iran, Mehr Housing Estates, lack proper planning and built quality, which has resulted in massive social segregation between classes in the country. This is an effort to picture the aftermath of the scheme. 40
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Photography Failed Housing Estate Qazvin Nikon D80
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Photography Life reflections Nikon D80 photographng the colorful habits and rituals around the world as a way to understand, what drive their innate appreciation for delicate forms and ornaments
Persian Fashion Show, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 2009
Moharram Religious Ceremony, Tehran, Iran, 2007 Old Princess, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 2009
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Buddhist Pilgrim, Tibet, Chine, 2010
Sailor’s Traditional Open Market, Bandar Abbas, Iran, 2009 Cultural Heritage Souvenir, Samarqand, Uzbekistan, 2008
Parseh Region Gypsies, Fras, Iran, 2009
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Architectural sketchs
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Shahrak Grand mosque, Tehran, 2006
Emamzade Zeyd Memorial, Tehran, 2006
Azadi Memorial Square, Tehran, 2007
Iranian Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, 2006
Marvi Passage war, Tehran, 2007
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Construction detail design Phase II detailing
a
c
b 6,2
4,1
7,2
1,86
4,22
1,65
3,34
2
2,86
Kerman
3,5
9,55
1,65
2,19
5,89
0,47
3,98
3,25
8,96
1
Residential Unit
e
d
18,4
0,91
2
5,21
1,53
2,94
6,12
0,39
0,39
0,74 1,25 1,74 2,2
2 3,8
4
3,38
1,95 5,51
5,8
0,6
2,16
0,26
0,9 0,170,2
2
0,2
4,46
0,22
3,47
3,8
5,92
1,6
2,46
5,47
2,58 3,78 2
12,4
5,78
5,81 0,9 2
0,09 0,22
4,39
4,77
3,06
2,3
3
4,22
20,89
20,89
3,62
5,57
20,89
0,57 1,42
2,4
2,42
0,65
0,48
4
0,87
1,81 1,95
1,96
2,61
5
2,06
2,61
0,38 8,06 10,59 2,35
4,35
2,68 4,09
6,67
5,87
2
5,87
2,9 1,6 2,3
6
1,46
0,88 0,4
0,4
0,4
10,35
3,3
2,3
7,74
5,99
2,85
4,23
2
1,37
7,47 6,2
3,28 4,1
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1,53
1,42
0,54
1,66
1,85
1,34 4,22
18,45
0,4
5,87
0,4
4,05
4,06 3,5
0,4
3,51
a
c
b
a
e
d
c
b 6,2
4,1
e
d 4,22
3,5
10,75 6,2
4,1
6,6
2,45
4,1
2,15
2
2,45
1,05
3,9
2,25
5 4,1
1
0,4
1 3,8
2
2 2,1 2,87 3,87
3,95
5,75
5,8
5,08
6
5,81
5,78
2
5,81
3,7
3,08
3
1,84
0,2
0,15
4,69
2,25
0,15 1,07
2,2
2,4
4
3
0,3
2,1 0,47
1,89
4,18
2,42
2
2,4
1,31 2,5 17,09
0,2
17,09
17,09
2
4
2 2,61
7,98
4,68
5
3,84
4,48
2,61
2,61
5
2,13
10,89 2,3
4,35
1,42 0,2
5,87
2
2,91 1,54
3,81
1,45
2,3
6
5,87
5,87
3,61
3,3
3,36
1,31
0,91 0,4
0,42
6,4
3,9
3,3
2,3
1,08
4,23
1,38
7,47 4,1
0,84
10,85
c
b 4
0,4
0,79
3,28
6,2
a
6
0,4
5,92
2
0,4
5,6
e
d 5,02
An unusual housing design, this project demanded custom detailing. And because of certain regulations needed
5,87
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Construction detail design Wall section detail desing
Art Gallery
Tehran
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