DAAZ Office from Iran Designs Doha’s Public Installation

When Mehdi Moutashar’s monumental piece was revealed at the Aspire Zone in Doha, within moments, people—mostly children—and birds started coming closer to the geometric abstractions, as if attracted to its meticulous shape and formation. This, according to the artist, was his biggest takeaway from the installation that reflects his rich heritage and artistic journey. Ensuring that this free-standing artwork was structurally sound and executed with precision is DAAZ Office, an architectural studio based in Iran. We sit down with Arash Aliabadi, Principal Architect and Founder of DAAZ Office to learn more about spaces that the team have perfected.

“Within moments after we finished work,” narrates Mehdi Moutashar, “a large swarm of birds came to this very spot. A group of boys came running to explore, and soon this art form became their own, their space, and that is my takeaway from this project.”

Aspire House, the first permanent public artwork by Mehdi Moutashar, is one of DAAZ Office’s many acclaimed projects, and perhaps the first one in Doha, which explore spaces and human interventions. This Iran-based architecture firm was in the limelight when Jadgal Elementary School, a project of theirs, was named as one of the 22 winners of the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2024.

The images of the charitable local school outside a rural village in South-Eastern Iran, released by RIBA, were stunning. A playfully expressive perimeter wall that defined the site with large circular openings, allowing children to play with it and within it, was inviting as well as curiosity-arousing.

The wall thickens in places to hold the school shop and storage areas or mark an entrance. Made with insulated concrete formwork to meet local earthquake legislation, the wall avoided columns entirely with its expressive curvilinear design.

This circular walled site introduces large, freestanding, naturally ventilated classrooms around a central outdoor playground, which doubles as a popular alternative communal space to the village mosque in the evenings.

The similarity of this project with the Mehdi Moutashar installation begins at this point, where the public wall of the school can be seen as an installation that attracts people within its confines to create safe cocoons of interactive spaces.

But according to Arash Aliabadi, Principal Architect and Founder of DAAZ Office, the similarity ends there, as the Jadgal Elementary School is an architectural project that deals with culture, community, and social needs, unlike the public art form, which is unrestrained in form and function.

“Unlike buildings, which have specific functions, public art allows more freedom in form and expression. This makes it a space where architecture and art come together, creating meaningful experiences,” he says, though he agrees that, “The Jadgal Elementary School project’s walls can be seen as a public installation, as they interact with the space and invite engagement, just like the Aspire House.”

The Jadgal Elementary School is much more than a school project because of the way it has been conceived. “It is a holistically conceived project in pursuit of sustainable environmental and social outcomes with very limited means. What has been achieved is a credit to the successful participation of the village from its inception,” explains the RIBA jury on why the school project is not just about the classroom design but about the community participation that enabled research first with the village and then design; of the processes of fundraising, the partial volunteer self-build, and creating sustainable social infrastructure around the realisation of the new school.

SCALE engages with Arash to find out more about this firm and its architectural journey.

SCALE: Can you tell us about the journey of DAAZ Office? How does your regional context influence the work you do?

Arash: DAAZ Office was founded in 2017, with studios in Tehran and Shiraz. After years of practicing architecture and design, DAAZ Office is shaped around various ranges, from furniture design to urban planning, always focusing on cultural and environmental contexts. We have been fortunate to receive international recognition, including the RIBA Award (2024) and being a Finalist for the Aga Khan Architecture Award (2019-2022 cycle).

At DAAZ, we believe architecture is shaped by both regional identity and global influences. Our approach follows critical regionalism, meaning we respect tradition while integrating contemporary ideas. Our region offers a rich cultural heritage but also complex challenges, which we see as an opportunity to create innovative and meaningful designs. Instead of seeing these challenges as limitations, we use them to develop architecture that is deeply rooted in its context while contributing to global conversations.

SCALE: How did DAAZ Office get involved with the Aspire House project in collaboration with Qatar Museums?

Arash: Several firms were considered, but after a few discussions, we were informed that Mehdi felt our approach aligned well with his vision, which led to our collaboration on the project. I believe there were emotional ties from both ends to the concept of the project. We connected with the vision of the artist as well, and that was the main reason for accepting the collaboration offer from Qatar Museums.

SCALE: How did you translate Mehdi Moutashar’s artistic vision into an architectural form? What was your role as an architect in this art form?

Arash: What makes this project unique is how Mehdi Moutashar, as an artist, creates a sense of space within a public artwork. His deep understanding of scale, human interaction, and geometry naturally lends itself to spatial design. Our role as architects was to refine and translate his vision into a built form, ensuring the artwork was structurally sound and executed with precision.

We focused on construction techniques, material selection, and geometric patterns, with brickwork being the most important element of the piece. This approach ensured that the artwork was not only structurally stable but also visually aligned with its concept.

SCALE: What were some of the biggest design or technical challenges in executing this project?

Arash: The biggest challenge was the tight timeline. We had only six months to complete everything, from design to execution, which required careful coordination.

The brickwork was especially difficult because every brick had to be placed with precision to match Mehdi Moutashar’s vision. Ensuring this level of accuracy while working within time constraints required skilled craftsmanship and close collaboration throughout the process.

SCALE: The project is deeply rooted in geometry and abstraction. How did you approach this from a structural and material perspective?

Arash: As mentioned earlier, if we had approached this purely as an architectural project, there could have been different ways to develop it. However, our main focus was to find the fastest and most effective way to build it while staying true to the artist’s vision, treating it primarily as an art piece rather than architecture.

Structurally, we used concrete walls as the foundation to support the brick cladding, ensuring both stability and precision. Since brick was the core concept, we designed a layout that emphasizes the continuous movement of the walls—rising, turning, descending, and extending seamlessly in different directions. This approach allowed us to reinforce Mehdi Moutashar’s vision of abstraction and geometry while maintaining a strong and stable structure.

SCALE: Public art and architecture have an evolving relationship. What role do you believe architecture plays in public installations like Aspire House? The Jadgal Elementary School seems to use similar principles of space and creating open public space for inclusive purposes. Explain.

Arash: For me, public installations are a great way to connect people with architecture and their surroundings. It’s a way for the public to experience a sort of architectural space. Unlike buildings, which have specific functions, public art allows more freedom in form and expression. This makes it a space where architecture and art come together, creating meaningful experiences.

I see Jadgal Elementary School as an architectural project that deals with culture, community, and social needs. But at the same time, its walls can be seen as a public installation, as they interact with the space and invite engagement. Similarly, Aspire House explores the relationship between form, space, and interaction, showing how public art and architecture can blend.

SCALE: DAAZ Office was nominated for the RIBA Best International Building Award. Can you tell us about the nominated project and what makes it special?

Arash: We were honoured to have Jadgal Elementary School nominated for the RIBA Best International Building Award. This project is special because it goes beyond just being a school — it is a community-centered space designed to respond to both local needs and environmental challenges.

For us, this project represents the power of architecture as a tool for social impact, showing how thoughtful design can improve everyday life, even in the most challenging contexts.

SCALE: What are your future plans and exciting projects coming up? Will you have more to offer in Doha?

Arash: Yes, we have projects of different scales and are excited to bring our architectural vision to life through them. Right now, we are in discussions with some people about potential projects in Doha, and we hope to have the opportunity to work there again. Our goal is to create a project that blends the cultural influences of both Iran and Qatar, resulting in a unique and meaningful space.

SCALE: How do you see Doha through an architect’s eye?

Arash: Doha is a relatively new city in the broader history of urban development, but it holds great potential to become a cultural hub in the Middle East. With its rapid growth and investment in architecture and public spaces, it can represent and celebrate Arab culture on a global scale.

At the end, I would like to express special thanks to Shervin Shamsollahi, Shiva Pouryousef, and the rest of the team. Their support and collaboration were vital to the success of this project.