A barrel vault of steel and brick fronted by glossy turquoise tiles shelters this community kitchen in Iran, designed by local studio Song Architects. Named Aghajoon Kitchen, the 539-square-metre structure replaces an unsanitary, roofless cooking enclosure in Khalilabad Village, Yazd province.
“The aim was to transform a temporary, makeshift space into a permanent, climate-responsive facility that would preserve its social and cultural significance,” said Seyed Amirhossein Sahiholnasab, Architect, Song Architects. “Given its longstanding role in the village’s communal life, particularly during religious ceremonies, social gatherings, and wedding celebrations, there was a clear need to reimagine it as a sustainable, hygienic, and contextually integrated structure.”
The community kitchen features a barrel-vaulted shape made from bricks and steel. Passing through large doors, a strip of turquoise tiling leads into the ground floor kitchen space with cooking vats beneath exposed ducting and black steel trusses. A mezzanine rest area overlooks this space, accessed via a steel stair with matching turquoise treads, above bathroom, ablution, and storage spaces.
Small, arched openings and skylights illuminate the interiors. “The material palette was guided by availability, economy, and cultural continuity. Brick, plaster, and turquoise tile are rooted in Yazd’s vernacular architecture and rely on local craftsmanship,” said Sahiholnasab.
The arched roof is supported by a truss structure, creating openness and reducing construction costs by approximately 15 percent. Exposed elements give the interior a contemporary expression, contrasting with the earth-toned exterior. Cold storage, ingredient preparation, and washing areas are sunk below ground to stabilise temperatures.
Image Courtesy: Dezeen
