Architects: KA architecture studio (Mohammad Khavarian)
Area: 1,000 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh, Athena Taleghani, KA architecture studio (Mohammad Khavarian)
Lead Architects: Mohammad Khavarian
Category: Public Space, Metro Station
Design Team: Mehrasa Nikookar
Structural Engineer: Mohammad Panahi
Lighting: Meghdad Amiri
Façade Engineers: Behnood Gooharbin, Masoud Gooharbin
Project Definer: Seyed Saeed Mirhosseini
Site Supervisor: Mohammad Khavarian
General Constructing: Mehdi Firoozi
City: Tehran
Country: Iran

Jahad Metro Plaza in Tehran reimagines a previously neglected metro entrance as a dynamic public space, reflecting a broader initiative to cultivate a more pedestrian-oriented city. Designed by KA architecture studio under the direction of Mohammad Khavarian, the project emerged as part of the “Meydangah” program, which identifies and revitalizes underutilized urban sites across the capital. The triangular plot, situated at the busy intersection of Vali Asr Street, was once fragmented by scattered infrastructure, poorly positioned facilities, and an outdated glass enclosure. Through a cohesive architectural intervention, the design consolidates these elements within a unified structure that integrates shade, shelter, and improved spatial quality. Central to the design is a series of geometric arches that both reference the subterranean metro system and mediate the transition between underground and street levels. By reshaping the site into an accessible plaza, the project not only enhances the daily commuter experience but also establishes a lively node where residents can gather, pause, and interact. In doing so, Jahad Metro Plaza demonstrates how modest yet strategic interventions can significantly elevate the livability of Tehran’s dense urban fabric.

Jahad metro plaza / ka architecture studio (mohammad khavarian)

Jahad Metro Plaza represents a deliberate rethinking of how transit infrastructure intersects with the public realm in Tehran. For decades, metro entrances across the city have been conceived as purely utilitarian elements, often built with little regard for their urban surroundings. KA architecture studio confronted this challenge by envisioning the metro not as a simple access point but as a civic platform capable of enriching everyday urban life.

The site chosen for intervention lay at a critical juncture along Vali Asr Street, one of Tehran’s oldest and most significant arteries. Despite its prominence, the triangular plot suffered from years of neglect, housing a deteriorating glass enclosure, scattered service structures, and leftover spaces without defined use. These conditions reflected a broader pattern of fragmented urban growth where public needs had been consistently overshadowed by car-oriented development.

In response, the architects pursued a design strategy that unified the site’s disparate elements into a coherent whole. A new permeable roof structure was introduced, creating shade in summer and shelter during winter while moderating the overwhelming traffic noise from the surrounding streets. This intervention was not conceived as a decorative addition but as an environmental and spatial device, aligning functional requirements with an improved public experience.

At the heart of the project lies the use of geometric arches. These forms establish a dialogue between the subterranean metro and the city above, echoing the vaulted qualities of underground transit spaces while translating them into an accessible, above-ground environment. Their repetition organizes circulation, defines spatial rhythm, and imbues the plaza with a distinct architectural identity.

Beyond their structural logic, the arches resonate with Iran’s architectural heritage. For centuries, arches have served as transitional forms in Persian architecture, appearing in mosques, bazaars, caravanserais, and civic spaces. Their presence in Jahad Metro Plaza thus connects a contemporary intervention with historical traditions of shaping thresholds and gathering points, embedding cultural continuity into a modern urban context.

The reconfiguration of the site also addressed long-standing functional shortcomings. Restrooms, once poorly positioned, were integrated more thoughtfully within the spatial framework. Metro infrastructure, previously scattered without coherence, was reorganized to allow for a more navigable and visually unified environment. The result is a plaza that balances functional necessity with architectural dignity.

Equally important is the project’s capacity to adapt to multiple modes of use. During the day, it serves commuters as a transition point, while in the evenings it transforms into a social stage where vendors, street musicians, and residents activate the space. This flexibility underscores the architects’ ambition to provide not only infrastructure but also an urban commons that responds to shifting rhythms of city life.

Situated in one of Tehran’s densest districts, the project demonstrates how targeted, low-cost interventions can yield substantial urban impact. Rather than requiring large-scale redevelopment, Jahad Metro Plaza reveals the latent potential within neglected pockets of the city, setting a precedent for how modest architectural gestures can ripple outward into larger urban transformations.

By aligning with the broader “Meydangah” initiative, the project reinforces municipal efforts to reposition Tehran toward a more pedestrian-friendly model. In doing so, it counters decades of car-centered planning and highlights the role of architecture in repairing the social and environmental fabric of the metropolis.

Ultimately, Jahad Metro Plaza is both pragmatic and symbolic. It resolves immediate spatial and infrastructural challenges while also offering a vision for how metro entrances and other overlooked urban sites can evolve into places of cultural exchange and civic identity. Through the careful calibration of form, function, and heritage, the project exemplifies how architecture can reclaim urban thresholds as vital components of public life.