The Building Skin as a Connecting Medium: A Case Study in Tehran

Abstract

This thesis will investigate ways in which the building facade can contribute to the city by having the ability to transform and embed within itself functions that go beyond the necessities of the buildings' primary purposes. The buildings' facade therefore will serve as a medium to shelter and initiate different activities and functions such as: circulation, access, view, assembly, growth, as well as communication. This transitory zone, consequently will serve as an organizing urban structural system that can be applied to any public building(s) in order to activate a two-dimensional layer of the building exterior through the means of giving it a third dimension. While being an addition this system seeks to reduce existing issues and to enhance the social and practical necessities pertaining to both the individual building as well as the chosen site.

The selected site for this structure is a square in Tehran, the capitol city of Iran. Although the skin system is designed to be applicable to any building at any public realm, Tajrish Square will serve as the exemplary location for its application. Being culturally rich, and socially valuable, the site chosen for this investigation will demonstrate the adaptive use of the building system being proposed