Imam Reza Shrine

Apartment

The building is located on Faramarz Abbasi BLVD

Kondez Pizza

Morvarid (Pearl) Shopping Center

A new Commercial Center in our neighbourhood

A new building still under construction, in Janbaz blvd, near our house. Yet, it does not have any name. I appreciate the architecture...

An Apartment in Sajjad Street

You probably like to know about house shapes in Iran specially in Mashhad. As you see in the photo, most of people live in apartments. the maximum floors for apartments in Mashhad is usually 5 floors. This unit is depends on the street and city and may be different in other places of Iran.

The families that live in apartments often have good relation with each other. They sometimes plan gathering party in the yard or under a bower. The culture of living friendly is really improved in Iran.

Mizan financial center

Yakhchal or Natural Refrigerators

These are the heritages from many years ago in a place near Mashhad.

According to the Wikipedia:

A yakh-chāl (meaning "ice pit") is an ancient type of refrigerator.
Above ground, the structure had a domed shape, but had a subterranean storage space; it was often used to store ice, but sometimes was used to store food as well. The subterranean space coupled with the thick heat-resistant construction material insulated the storage space year round. These structures were mainly built and used in Persia. Many remain standing that were built hundreds of years ago.

In 400 BC Iran, Persian engineers had already mastered the technique of storing ice in the middle of summer in the desert. The ice was brought in during the winters from nearby mountains in bulk amounts, and stored in a specially designed, passively cooled refrigerator, called a yakhchal (meaning ice pit). This was a large underground space (up to 5000 m³) that had thick walls (at least two meters at the base) made out of a special mortar called sārooj, composed of sand, clay, egg whites, lime, goat hair, and ash in specific proportions, and which was resistant to heat transfer. This mixture was thought to be completely water impenetrable. The space often had access to a Qanat, and often contained a system of windcatchers that could easily bring temperatures inside the space down to frigid levels in summer days. The ice was then used to chill treats for royalty during hot summer days and to make faloodeh, the traditional Persian frozen dessert.

Yakhchal of Yazd province (Photo from Wikipedia)

The Yakchal in Kerman is located about a mile from the center of the city. This cone-shaped building is about sixty feet high. The massive insulation and the continuous cooling waters that spiral down its side keep the ice stored there in winter frozen throughout the summer. These ice houses used in desert towns from antiquity have a trench at the bottom to catch what water does melt from the ice and allow it to refreeze during the cold desert nights. The ice is broken up and moved to caverns deep in the ground. As more water runs into the trench the process is repeated. Often seen around the ice houses and many of the homes in the desert are towers called badgirs or wind traps. Built of mud or mud brick, these badgirs, mentioned by Marco Polo, are square or round, but the operating principle is the same: to catch the slightest breeze in the vents at the top and to funnel the cooling air down through internal, vertically placed wooded slats to the water or dwelling below.
In present day Iran the term yakchal is also used to refer to modern refrigerators.

Mil (Minaret) Khosrogerd

Photo from Trekearth

I took this photo while we were travelling to Tehran

Khosrogerd minaret is a brick made structure erected on the side of the Nishabur –ray road and today lies in a short distance from Sabzevar –Tehran road (near to Mashhad) the minaret is believed to heve also served as a guide to the travelers because it can be seen from a very long distance. Archaeological studies conducted so far suggest that this monument used to signs of any architectural structures have been uncovered in the course of excavations in the suburbs of the structure .
Khosrogerd minaret s manuscript clearly states that the structure was built in 505A.H and today serves to symbolize the architectural style of its time .it has been made of brick while the facade has been ornamented with molded and finely cut exterior bricks that appear in a variety of shapes and styles .the minaret fortunately has remained intact through years and is considered as a valuable architectural work of Khorasan province which has been registered as a national historical heritage that has undergone frequent repair works by Khorasan cultural heritage organization .

The inside of Almas-e-Shargh Center

On my earlier posts, you saw the special architecture of Almas-e-Shargh shopping center. To see it again click here.

Now, this is the inside of it. A nice waterfront exactly under the dome.

Side Trip to Tehran

Azadi Tower that is located in Azadi Square, Tehran

This is the symbol of Tehran City

Guys,
Now I am here in Mashhad. I had a nice trip to Tehran. Soon you can see all my photographs from Tehran in a different photo blog.
Thank you for your visits, comment and congrats during my absence. Happy Nowruz to you, too!

Prophet Muhammad's Birthday

Prophet Muhammad 's mosque, Medina

The inside of mosque

(photos are taken at summer 2008)

In the Islamic calendar, the 12Th day of Rabi-al-Awwal marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
There is a difference of opinion about whether the Milad An-Nabi (Prohet Mohammad's Birthday) should be a time of celebration. There is evidence that the Prophet, his Companions, and the early followers after them did not celebrate or otherwise observe his birthday. On the contrary, Muhammad was careful to warn his people not to imitate other faiths, whose followers elevated their prophets and added to the religion what was not in the original teachings.
Those who disagree claim that although not practiced in the early years of Islam, the remembrance of the Prophet's birthday is a "good innovation." They see it as a time to read the Qur'an, and remember the life, teachings, and example of the Prophet Muhammad.

Reference of the text :about.com

Imam Reza Hospital

These days I am working on my new project of the new semester. I have to design a hospital for 96 beds so I should visit different hospitals in Mashhad and study about foreign examples.

Imam Reza Hospital is one of the biggest (and oldest) health centers of Mashhad. This is built in Pahlavi era and as you see it is in traditional style of architecture which is great and unique.

Spaghetti Eiffel Tower

Yes, this is Eiffel Tower but not in Paris, in Mashhad ;)

I built it in my 3 days free time.

Vakil Abad Park

Vakil Abad park, is a beautiful place that is entailed by one of the richest men many years ago. I will post more about it in my next updates.

The Last Project

Finally I gave my last project of this semester. Excuse me for the few days' absence during that time. I had to render my sheets and make the sample of my designing, so I was working hard. Now I am so tired of that and need some days for break then I will start to post my photos from Mashhad again.
You can see some parts of the project in the photo. Architectural Designin III was one of my memorable lessons that I could get the first score in the class. ;)

City Cultural Center

The Building of Traditional exercises

Around Iran # 6 : Eram Garden

Eram Garden or Garden of Paradise is a large garden with a wonderful looking palace in it that is located in Fars province-Shiraz city.This is Built in the Qajar era, the compound was used by the feudal elite and tribal leaders of Fars Province, and later used by the royalty of Iran.
The compound came under the protection of Pahlavi University during the Pahlavi era, and was used as the College of Law.
It is today still a property of Shiraz University, and is open to the public as a museum, protected by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization.

(Text from Wikipedia)

Sky Watch :An Industrial Sky !

Khajeh Rabee Mausoleum