Jahad Metro Plaza / KA Architecture Studio (Mohammad Khavarian)

Architects: KA architecture studio (Mohammad Khavarian)
Area: 1000 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh, Athena Taleqani, KA architecture studio (Mohammad Khavarian)
Lead Architects: Mohammad Khavarian
Category: Public Space, Metro Station
Design Team: Mehrasa Nikookar
Structural Engineering: 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/Location: Tehran
Country: Iran

Jahad Metro Plaza by KA architecture studio transforms an overlooked metro entrance in Tehran into a vibrant public node that redefines the relationship between urban infrastructure and civic life. Conceived within the “Meydangah” program, which identifies neglected spaces across the city for revitalization, the project reclaims a fragmented triangular site at the intersection of Vali Asr Street. Through minimal yet thoughtful design, it introduces shaded and permeable structures that foster comfort and social interaction while mediating between the subterranean metro and the bustling street. The intervention merges architectural precision with civic intent, creating a human-scaled plaza that prioritizes pedestrians, activates public life, and offers a replicable model for Tehran’s urban regeneration.

Jahad metro plaza / ka architecture studio (mohammad khavarian)

The evolution of Tehran from a low-density city into a sprawling metropolis has deeply affected its livability. Rapid post-revolution growth and centralized urban policies fostered a car-oriented development model, displacing pedestrian activity and diminishing public space quality. Streets expanded while places for rest and social connection dwindled, leaving a city that favored vehicles over human experience.

This urban imbalance prompted the emergence of the “Meydangah” initiative, a municipal research and design effort that identified 100 sites across Tehran with potential to become lively, pedestrian-oriented spaces. Rather than pursuing large-scale redevelopment, the program focused on incremental, low-cost interventions capable of restoring social vitality to the city’s fabric. Jahad Metro Plaza became one of the earliest pilot projects under this vision.

Located along the historic Vali Asr corridor, the site originally contained a disordered metro entrance, poorly placed facilities, and scattered infrastructure. Despite its central position, it lacked coherence and failed to accommodate the daily flows of commuters and residents. KA architecture studio approached the project as an opportunity to turn this neglected intersection into an inclusive urban space for pause, encounter, and movement.

Initial municipal expectations were limited to a simple sidewalk renovation, but the architects advocated for a more comprehensive vision aligned with the Meydangah objectives. By emphasizing the social and spatial benefits of public design, they secured approval for a project that would function both as infrastructure and as a social platform. The result extends beyond aesthetic improvement, proposing a renewed sense of civic responsibility within Tehran’s dense context.

The architects began by assessing the site’s environmental and structural challenges. Heavy vehicular traffic created constant noise pollution, while Tehran’s variable climate demanded shade in summer and shelter in winter. In response, the design introduced a permeable canopy that unifies the space, filters sunlight, and enhances acoustic comfort. The roof’s lightness and continuity visually organize the fragmented elements beneath, giving coherence to an area long defined by neglect.

The project’s formal language derives from the geometry of the metro’s underground structure. A sequence of arches forms the plaza’s organizing motif, representing both a structural necessity and a symbolic bridge between surface and subterranean levels. These arches establish rhythm, define circulation paths, and articulate spatial hierarchy, turning the metro entrance into an architectural promenade that invites exploration rather than mere passage.

Through this architectural strategy, the metro plaza was transformed from a transitional void into what the architects describe as an “urban labyrinth.” The space now accommodates layered activities—waiting, resting, performing, and socializing—within a compact footprint. The interplay of light, structure, and movement animates the daily routine of commuters while encouraging them to inhabit the site beyond transit.

Following completion, the municipality organized vendor stalls along the outer plaza, while the inner zone evolved organically into a meeting place for musicians, pedestrians, and neighborhood residents. This unplanned adaptability underscores the project’s success as a flexible civic framework. Rather than dictating behavior, the design enables spontaneous appropriation and collective ownership of space.

Economically, the project adheres to principles of efficiency and local constructability. The use of accessible materials and straightforward assembly methods ensured feasibility under limited budgets, while maintaining architectural clarity and spatial richness. This pragmatic approach allows the design to serve as a prototype for similar interventions across Tehran’s metro network.

Jahad Metro Plaza ultimately stands as an architectural and urban manifesto for reclaiming pedestrian agency within the modern metropolis. By turning an infrastructural necessity into a site of community engagement, KA architecture studio demonstrates how modest yet intelligent design can reshape the public realm. The project’s success lies not in monumental form, but in its capacity to restore dignity, identity, and interaction to the everyday experience of the city.