Dasht-e-Chehel Villa / 35-51 ARCHITECTURE Office

Architects: 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office
Area: 1,000 m² site, 395 m² total floor area, 548 m² building area
Year: 2023
Photography: Arash Akhtaran, Abbas Yaghooti
Lead Architects: Hamid Abbasloo, Abbas Yaghooti, Neda Adiban Rad
Architects Team: Mohammad Reza Aghaie
Design Team: 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office
Contractor: 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office – Hamzeh Jalambadani
Construction Team: Ahmad Shahbazade, Hossein Babapour, Ghos al-Din Soltani, Abo al-Ghasem Ramezani, Aria Abdolahi, Hadi Salehi, Saeed Nikrooz
Structural Engineering: Majid Koolivand
Electrical and Mechanical: 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office
Materials: Cement board, steel structure, stone
Client: Omid Torabi
City: Mosha, Damavand
Country: Iran

Dasht-e-Chehel Villa, designed by 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office in Mosha, Damavand, is a 395-square-meter residence on a 1,000-square-meter site that redefines living in a cold mountain climate by dissolving boundaries between inside and outside. Positioned along the site’s northern edge to capture panoramic views, the house is defined by a diagonal cut that brings landscape and light into its core while creating sheltered outdoor terraces. A Trombe wall on the southern façade stores solar energy for nighttime heating, and ramped circulation follows the natural slope to provide fluid movement across levels. Built from steel, stone, and cement board, the villa achieves both durability and subtle integration with its rugged surroundings, offering a contemporary model of domestic architecture that embraces year-round connection to nature.

We were facing a historical tradition that spanned over a thousand years, and we asked ourselves: how could our architecture continue this lineage while speaking in today’s language?
Interview with Hamid Abbasloo and Neda Adiban Rad of 35‑51 ARCHITECTURE office

Dasht-e-chehel villa / 35-51 architecture office — Dasht-e-Chehel Villa / 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office 64

In the high-altitude setting of Mosha near Damavand, Dasht-e-Chehel Villa offers a model for contemporary mountain living. Designed by 35-51 ARCHITECTURE office, the house responds to the challenges of cold winters and sloping terrain by fostering a closer relationship between built form and natural environment. The project is not only a residence but also a study in how architecture can encourage year-round interaction with climate and landscape.

The siting of the villa was a decisive first step. By placing the structure toward the northern edge of its elongated plot, the architects secured uninterrupted views across the mountains. A diagonal incision in the volume reorients the house toward the landscape, introducing daylight and framing vistas deep into its core. This cut also generates a roofed terrace that expands usable space during snowy or rainy weather, extending outdoor life while providing shelter.

Environmental performance informed key design choices. On the southern façade, a Trombe wall stores solar heat during the day and releases it into the interior at night, a passive strategy that reduces reliance on mechanical systems. The use of ramps rather than stepped levels across the sloping terrain further emphasizes continuity, allowing movement between floors to feel natural and unrestricted.

Material selection reinforces the villa’s integration with its setting. A steel structural system provides resilience, while cement board and stone cladding give the building a muted presence against the rugged landscape. The restrained palette ensures the architecture enhances rather than competes with its surroundings.

Dasht-e-Chehel Villa reflects the ethos of its designers: to create spaces that blur boundaries between inside and outside while responding intelligently to environmental conditions. By merging sustainability with spatial openness, the project demonstrates how contemporary architecture can heighten awareness of nature while offering comfort in challenging climates.