SCP Seminar

University of Sheffield, 2023

Title: Modern Architectural Heritage of Iran: Approaches to the Revival of Iranian Architectural Identity

My presentation, “Modern Architectural Heritage of Iran: Approaches to the Revival of Iranian Architectural Identity,” explored how classifying modern and contemporary architecture in Iran clarifies different strategies for preserving and renewing architectural identity. From this perspective, modern architecture in Iran is often linked to the period of rapid modernisation, particularly from the early twentieth century through the Pahlavi era, when new materials, professional practices, and international design ideas transformed the built environment. In contrast, contemporary architecture is generally regarded as a broader and more diverse field, extending from the late twentieth century to the present, shaped by ongoing debates over authenticity, regionalism, cultural memory, and the balance between global influence and local tradition. In this context, the revival of Iranian architectural identity is not simply a return to historical forms, but a critical process of reinterpreting vernacular, Persian, and Islamic spatial principles within modern and contemporary architectural practice.