Multipurpose oasis. Majara Residence and community redevelopment by Zav Architects
Multipurpose oasis. Majara Residence and community redevelopment by Zav Architects
Deed Studio. Image courtesy of Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Media Source: Metalocus (Spain)
Date: 9 September 2025
Iranian architecture practice ZAV architects was commissioned to design a multipurpose space on the Iranian island of Hormuz, located in the Persian Gulf. The project was one of seven winners of the 16th Aga Khan Award for Architecture, thanks to its successful resolution of physical, social, and economic needs while conside
Iranian architecture practice ZAV architects was commissioned to design a multipurpose space on the Iranian island of Hormuz, located in the Persian Gulf. The project was one of seven winners of the 16th Aga Khan Award for Architecture, thanks to its successful resolution of physical, social, and economic needs while considering the local culture. “While the Majara Residence project has won many awards and has received worldwide attention on social media, what has tended to remain unsaid until now is how it sits at the intersection between geology, community life, and tourism – an industry which can be so destructively globalising. In its deep sensitivity to context, this project exemplifies how architecture can become a formidable force of optimism and rigorous resolve to shift the social, cultural, and material pendulum,” explained the Master Jury in selecting the site.