The New Old, Design Research
research | a multi-year research-by-design, design-by-research project at the Tehran Urban Innovation Center (TUIC), developed under the guidance of Dr. Nashid Nabian. the study reimagines the future of urban spaces within the contemporary urbanism of Tehran, exploring how underused structures can support new forms of habitation and public life.
the project investigates the reuse of outdated or underused architectural spaces through a research-by-design approach. existing spatial types are evaluated through criteria such as scale, distribution, predicted demolition, functionality and their potential for future occupation.
the study develops speculative transformations for examples including rooftops, wet markets and dams. rather than treating these spaces as obsolete, it tests how they might accommodate new public, productive or residential programmes and contribute to future urban resilience.
