Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2024

In Between House

by Seyedjalil Mousavi

A' Design Award 2024 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Awarded April 15, 2024
CLIENT: MA Office
Estimated Number of Design Views: 12,464
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About In Between House

In Between is a house located in Hamadan, in the west of Iran. The design connects the interior of the home with the surrounding city. Brick envelopes on each side of the building form porches that soften the usual barrier between inside and outside. These porches act as extensions of the living areas and offer views of the horizon and the sky. The porches also link the floors of the house. Traditional bricks shape the outer volumes, while the interior uses white marble floors and plastered walls. The building measures 14 by 10 meters and rises to a height of 11.4 meters.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: How the internal relationship of the house as an architectural cell with the city was the main intention behind designing this project. Brick "envelopes" on each side create porches, dissolving the usual barriers. These spaces become extensions of the living area, offering a view of the horizon and sky while connecting the house's floors .The design seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living, fostering a sense of connection to the city.
Dimensions & Packaging: This project has dimensions of 14 meters by 10 meters and a finished height of 11 meters and 40 centimeters.This building includes the ground floor: which consists of the indoors and the connecting spaces, parking, a small suite, and a storeroom. a duplex with dining and living rooms, the main kitchen, a bathroom, and a guest room on the first floor, and two bedrooms for the children, one bedroom for the parents, a dining room, a small kitchen, and a bathroom, for a family in the second floor.
Tags: Architecture, House, porch, Brick, duality
Production Technology: In this project, according to the overall design, the space is divided into two parts, brick envelopes and white interior space, for the construction of the first parts, traditional bricks are used, and in the white part, white marble is used for the floor, and plaster is used for the walls.
Design Challenge: There were several challenges in this project: lack of construction budget, responding to the wishes of family members, and getting the plan accepted by municipal experts.
Project Duration: The project started in March 2020 in the city of Hamadan located in the west of Iran and ended in February 2022.
Operation Flow: At the time of ordering the project, the client emphasized the connection between the inside of the house and the outside space and the use of traditional materials such as brick, which was fulfilled by placing brick porches on both sides.
Research: The project balanced the client's desires with the unique qualities of the site. Extensive discussions between architects and the family were coupled with research on the location's history and urban context. This collaboration led to a design that reinterprets the traditional porch as a vibrant buffer zone. These in-between spaces act as both an extension of the home and a bridge to the surrounding city, fostering a seamless connection.
Inspiration: Today, in ordinary houses, the boundary between inside and outside is defined by walls, and thresholds such as doors and windows allow penetration in and out, while in old houses
In Hamadan, the porch is considered as an active living space that connects the interior to the outside. Therefore, reusing these porches in a new way has been our main strategy in the connection between the house and the city for this project.
Image Credits: All Images Photographer :Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh, Video Credits: Hamed Zangene