Presence In Hormuz 2 / ZAV Architects

Architects: ZAV Architects
Area: 10,300 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Soroush Majidi, Tahmineh Monzavi, DJI, Payman Barkhordari
Light Consultant: Tajang Light
Architect in Charge: Mohamadreza Ghodousi, Fatemeh Rezaie, Golnaz Bahrami, Soroush Majidi
Design Team: Sheila Ehsaei, Sara Jafari, Payman Barkhordari, Mohsen Safshekan, Kaveh Rashidzadeh, Hossein Panjehpour
Landscape: Maryam Yousefi, Morteza Adib
Interior Design: Sara Jafari, Taraneh Behboud, Sara Nikkar, Mohsen Dehghan
Supervisor: Soroush Majidi, Payman Barkhordari, Sheila Ehsaei
Modeling: Somayeh Saeidi
Presentation: Fereshteh Assadzadeh, Somayeh Saeidi, Arshia Hashemipour, Dorsa Tavakoli, Sara Fallahzadeh
Owner: Ali Rezvani
Client: Ehsan Rasoulof
Structural Design: Behrang Baniadam, Rouhi Touski
Civil Engineer: Farhad Beigi
Electrical Engineer: Pejman Moradian
Mechanical Engineer: Saeid Afsharian
Culinary Manufacturer: Matbakh Ara
Environment Consultant: Salman Rasouli, Roya Yazdizadeh
Accommodation Consultant: Nasim Mosavar
Project Constructor: Amir Tehrani Nobahari
Construction Manager: Hormat Ghasemi
Construction Vice Manager: Ramin Koulaghani, Amin Timas
Mechanical Constructor: Javad Irandegani, Hamid Haji Posht-e-Gol
Floor Constructor: Davoud Etemadi
Windows Builder: Mehra Company
Interior Plaster: Gholamali Abbasi
Exterior Plaster: Esmaeil Salimi
Construction Painter: Farzad Moharrami
Country: Iran

The second phase of the Presence in Hormuz initiative by ZAV Architects, known as the Majara Residence, responds to the social and economic challenges of Hormuz Island by merging architecture with community empowerment. Covering 10,300 square meters, the development integrates cultural, residential, and communal spaces, conceived to strengthen local livelihoods while welcoming visitors. Constructed using the super-adobe technique developed by Nader Khalili, the project employs earth-filled sandbags to form small domes, echoing traditional building forms of the region. By prioritizing local labor over imported materials, the project redirected financial resources to train and employ island residents, turning unskilled workers into master builders. This strategic approach not only reduced construction costs but also fostered a sense of ownership among the community. Set against the island’s surreal multicolored landscapes, the Majara Residence weaves architectural form with cultural continuity, functioning as both accommodation and cultural hub.

Hormuz Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, has long been a place of contrasts: geopolitically significant, ecologically rich, yet economically fragile. While its rainbow-colored soils and coastal landscapes attract visitors, the local community has often been excluded from the benefits of tourism. The Majara Residence addresses this imbalance by positioning itself not only as a hospitality complex but as a catalyst for shared development, enabling local people to participate in and benefit from the island’s transformation.

The project is distinguished by its use of the super-adobe system, a method that allows domes to be built from earth-filled sandbags. This technique reduces reliance on costly imports and instead makes use of local soil, aligning construction with the island’s natural resources. The resulting domes recall the region’s architectural traditions while providing modern functionality. Their small scale made them manageable for local workers, ensuring that the construction process itself became an act of education and empowerment.

The aesthetic impact of the Majara Residence lies in its direct dialogue with the island’s landscape. The domes appear as colorful mounds, blending with the mineral-rich terrain and creating an artificial topography that mirrors the natural one. Viewed from above, the clustered domes resemble a woven carpet, an image that resonates with Iran’s cultural heritage while anchoring the project firmly in place. This weaving of architecture and geology establishes a visual and symbolic connection between the built environment and the natural world.

Economically, the project represents a redistribution of resources. Rather than channeling funds into imported materials, the architects directed a significant portion of the budget toward labor and training. This choice enabled local residents to acquire construction skills, transforming many from unskilled workers into capable builders. In doing so, the Majara Residence became more than a collection of domes; it became a school of practice, embedding knowledge and economic opportunity within the community.

Programmatically, the complex operates as both a residence and a cultural center. It accommodates visitors while providing spaces for interaction between guests and residents, redefining tourism as a participatory exchange rather than a one-sided transaction. This approach allows cultural practices, local stories, and everyday life to be woven into the visitor experience, strengthening the sense of reciprocity between outsiders and the island’s inhabitants.

Ultimately, Presence in Hormuz 2 presents a model in which architecture is not an isolated object but a process of building trust and shared identity. By merging vernacular form, ecological sensitivity, and economic empowerment, ZAV Architects have demonstrated how design can operate as a form of social infrastructure. The Majara Residence thus stands as both a physical landmark and a framework for long-term resilience, shaping a future where architecture contributes directly to cultural continuity and community agency.