Eike Becker_Architekten and Hadi Teherani Architects jointly win first prize in an international competition for the new headquarters of the National Iranian Gas Company in Tehran.The jury was convinced by the holistic approach, which is dedicated to the central principles of Iranian architectural history leading them into modernity.
The landmark of the 380,000 m2 large NIGC complex is a 200 m high office tower whose design takes up the traditional Persian Shamseh ornamentation with its typical 9-square system. The 40-storey high-rise building is supplemented by six adjacent 11-storey office buildings of the Gas World Trade Center, a congress center, a science center, a museum, a mosque as well as shops, restaurants and cafés, which form a harmonious overall composition within a 2 to 3-storey pedestal and two rectangular squares.
The NIGC company headquarters is embedded in a newly emerging neighbourhood around the reconstructed historic Saltanat-Abad-Garden. Four gardens of different sizes are planned, which will be connected by arcades, squares, streets and various paths in all directions. The design thus continues the Iranian art of squares and horticulture of Isfahan or Kashan courtyard . The residential quarter Mojdeh on the opposite side of the Sayad Shirazie motorway will also be integrated via a garden bridge.
The NIGC headquarters is planned to be an integral part of the city and will play an important role in people's everyday lives. Cafés, restaurants, galleries, gyms and day-care centres are open to NIGC employees and the neighbourhood alike.
