Gate of Minousa Town

Located in a mountainous landscape near Damavand, the Minousa Residential Complex is conceived as a low-density summer village embedded within the broader Hasht Behesht development. The guardhouse marks the threshold of this emerging settlement, operating simultaneously as infrastructure and landmark. Its form is generated by the convergence of access routes, resulting in a compact triangular volume oriented toward the entrance and surrounding terrain.
The building is conceived as a layered shell rather than a singular mass. An outer skin of raw iron sheets is allowed to oxidize over time, absorbing the colors and temporality of the mountain landscape. Beneath this surface, successive structural and environmental layers establish depth and thickness, occasionally revealed through perforations that emphasize material thinness and stratification. A carved void interrupts the volume, creating visual continuity between levels and reinforcing the building’s watchful presence. Through layering, cutting, and orientation, the structure conveys solidity, visibility, and quiet vigilance.