APARTMENT Ka02 (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Designed and Represented by Mohammad Moezzi in 2019, and in the Process of Construction by NET Architects, Mashhad, Iran

The apartment Ka 02, nestled within the dense streets of Mashhad, reflects the shifting urban and social fabric of Iran’s second-largest city. Traditionally, extended families lived in courtyard-centered houses, fostering community and privacy within spacious voids. However, modern urbanism, driven by Westernized planning principles and shrinking lot sizes, has replaced these spaces with small, isolated blocks that no longer support such lifestyles. Today’s new generations predominantly couples and nuclear families seek contemporary housing solutions that retain the essence of communal courtyards within constrained footprints.

Spanning a mere 5 meters by 30 meters, this project resolves the tension between traditional ideals and modern realities. Drawing on Iran’s rich architectural heritage, brick becomes central to the design, a material deeply embedded in the cultural memory of Iranian construction. Brick’s tactility and geometric adaptability allow for an ingenious manipulation of space, harnessing natural light through strategically positioned openings and apertures. These apertures create a dialogue between interior and exterior, invoking the ambiance of openness and privacy once found in courtyards.

Commissioned by acclaimed film producer Behrooz Hashemian, the project reflects a careful balance of tradition and modernity. While responding to the constraints of narrow urban lots, the design introduces “pockets of expansiveness” through controlled voids and apertures, reviving the spatial qualities of the courtyard lifestyle.

Ka 02 not only maximizes spatial and functional efficiency but also addresses the emotional and cultural desires of new generations: a longing to reproduce the intimacy, light, and sense of belonging that once defined Iranian homes, now adapted to the realities of a rapidly transforming urban landscape.