IRANIAN EMBASSY

Beijing, China - 1983

A landmark in Beijing's diplomatic quarter, the Embassy of Iran in Beijing represents the longstanding historical significance of Sino-Iranian relations and Iran's desire to have an impressive physical presence in China's capital. At a time when most public buildings were designed in the local cultural context, the Iranian Embassy in Beijing alluded to the Persian architectural tradition. The complex consists of the chancery, the ambassador's residence and reception building, a small Persian language school, a service building, and swimming facilities. Honouring the North-South grid utilized both in the Forbidden City and Safavid Ispahan, units of the project face south to create four interconnecting courtyards: one for visitors, one for the ambassador's private residence, one for the pool and one for the chancery. The axis of the largest courtyard is deliberately altered to a diagonal in order to distinguish itself from convention, permitting both an elongated succession of fountains and pools reminiscent of Persian gardens while providing an impressive vista point from the major thoroughfare outside the main gate.