Nuclear Sciences Pavilion

The Nuclear Sciences Pavilion

The Nuclear Sciences Pavilion is a part of the entryway to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran in Tehran. It is designed to replace the common entrance gates found in public buildings. The pavilion transforms the function of transitioning from outside to inside and creates an overarching space for pause. It appends a formerly linear space to the public sphere of the city.

Unlike the typical use of gates as representatives of the identity of an institution, the Nuclear Sciences Pavilion challenges this stereotypical approach and replaces it with a more relevant function. While gates are mere portals for entrance and exit, the pavilion functions as a Hashti, which is a mediatory space for a pause in Persian architecture with an octagonal or round geometry. Hashti is located between the street and the inner spaces, creating a smoother spatial hierarchy before entering the closed spaces of a house. This semi-public typology prepares the ground for transitioning from one spatial field to another.

The outer shell of the Nuclear Sciences Pavilion is a glass cube that contains a bowl-shaped volume. This spatial composition addresses the relationship between a nucleus and the fluid space around it. To enter the complex, one needs to pass through the “fissure”.

The glass enclosure surrounding the bowl-shaped area serves as an exhibition space for nuclear sciences. Below it, there is a cafe-gallery, a bookshop, and other service facilities. The bowl-shaped space is like an open courtyard where visitors can sit and spend time.