stained glass and mirrored octagons compose an interactive urban maze in iran

Hezar-Too installation rethinks Traditional Iranian Architecture

Commissioned by the Mashhad municipality following the 2022 renewal of Lale Park, Hezar-Too by Ehsani Sharafeh Associates is positioned at the park’s main entrance from Hafte-Tir Square. Conceived as an interactive urban installation, the project was designed to encourage public engagement with the renewed landscape through movement, exploration, and spatial interaction.

The installation reinterprets circulation patterns found in traditional Iranian architecture through the concept of the ‘Syntactic Hezar-Too.’ Referencing spatial sequences common in Islamic Iranian domestic architecture, the project explores how interconnected interior spaces generate layered experiences of movement and discovery. Rather than functioning as a static object, the structure operates as a navigable environment composed of compressed pathways and interconnected chambers.

The installation is formed by a cellular arrangement of eight extruded octagons and four square volumes. At the center of each octagonal module, revolving doors shape circulation and require visitors to physically engage with the structure in order to move through it. This interaction recalls the sequential transitions found in traditional Iranian residential architecture, where movement between spaces unfolds gradually through layers of thresholds.

all images courtesy of Ehsani Sharafeh Associates

Color, Reflection, and Circulation Shape the Spatial Experience

For Ehsani Sharafeh Associates’ team, color also plays a central role in the spatial experience. Inspired by stained glass windows found in historic Iranian houses, each modular section incorporates a distinct hue through transparent acrylic panels. The shifting color conditions differentiate the spaces and alter the atmosphere throughout the maze-like layout.

Mirrored ceilings further intensify the perception of space by reflecting and fragmenting circulation routes. These reflective surfaces partially obscure pathways and create visual ambiguities that reinforce the labyrinthine character of the installation. The project combines prefabricated metal modules with safety glass, colored acrylic panels, and mirrored surfaces. The revolving doors and structural elements were fabricated and calibrated off-site before being assembled within the park.

By inserting a dense circulation system into the open scale of the urban square, Hezar-Too introduces a participatory spatial experience shaped by movement, color, reflection, and interaction. The installation connects references from traditional Iranian architecture with a contemporary public setting, transforming circulation itself into the central architectural element.

interactive urban installation positioned at the entrance of Lale Park

Hezar-Too designed as a navigable public environment

interconnected chambers creating layered movement sequences

compressed pathways shaping a maze-like spatial experience

movement unfolding gradually through connected spatial layers

transparent acrylic panels introducing shifting color conditions

stained-glass references translated into contemporary architectural surfaces

project info:

name: Hezar-Too

architect: Ehsani Sharafeh Associates
design team: Nasrin Sharafeh, Ali Ehsani
location: Mashhad, Iran

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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