The medical office building also contains walking paths that respond to solar patterns, ensuring the interior spaces make the most of natural light.
Located in Iran’s Hamedan’s business district, between several mixed-use high and low-rise buildings, the recently completed Atlas Medical Office Building serves as an example of what can be achieved by combining advanced building technology with cost-effective materials and simple construction techniques.
According to the architects – Ahmad Bathaei, Marziah Zad, Mohsen Marizad and Raha Ashrafi – the project prioritised regionally available construction materials, as well as local labor.
“The building morphology results from an inward compression,” they said, “generated via a curvilinear geometry system which responds to solar paths and allows for visual connections between levels.”
The architects added that the ‘solar carving’ strategy is an approach that optimises natural light levels in tight spaces, thus “demonstrating how a perceived constraint can instead give direction towards an intelligent and passively responsive design.”
The design process includes a series of iterative steps following the preliminary massing, which was based on building regulations and client demands. The building mass was pinched along the solar paths and sun angles, facilitating the flow of natural light into the building’s interior. Each floor was then given three vertically stacked units that results in three towers, which are separated horizontally.
A geometric series of curvilinear strips unifies the three towers into a single building design. And, catering to future movement patterns of the tenants and locals, a passageway connecting the primary urban corridor to a secondary thoroughfare was conceived for public pedestrian access during the day.
“The interplay of positive and negative space is specifically developed to emphasize place-making and spatial quality,” said the architects. “Consequently, light and visual connections are prominently featured while form and space complement each other in synergy.”
The form of the facade also gives way to terraces and meeting points along the different levels, emphasising a welcoming place for gathering on the ground floor.