Extravagant House Plays With Curves To Make An Inner Lot Stand Out

Find a good location for a house and you’re already on the road to success. Usually that means a lot with a nice topography, easy access to the street and plenty of open space around it. This house has neither of these things yet that doesn’t stop it from being extraordinary. It compensates for that with a unique design. We’re talking about a house located in Lavasan, Iran. It was built here in 2015 by Nextoffice.

This is a house that stands out but not in the way you'd necessarily expect it to
This is a house that stands out but not in the way you’d necessarily expect it to
The house is hidden between the other structures in the neighborhood, being situated on a closed lot
The house is hidden between the other structures in the neighborhood, being situated on a closed lot

Before we get into the details of the design, we should first present the context. This is a house that’s deeply integrated into the neighborhood, being raised on an inner lot, hidden behind neighboring structures. That means it has limited street access and, in addition to that, the views don’t really do much for it since they’re mostly obstructed by the other buildings.

The house curves around a courtyard with a built-in, organically-shaped pond
The house curves around a courtyard with a built-in, organically-shaped pond
From this angle, this looks like an interesting interpretation of an A-frame house design
From this angle, this looks like an interesting interpretation of an A-frame house design

Even with all these drawbacks, the house still manages to stand out. It does that by being peculiar in a good and eye-catching way. It’s a house but in a way it’s also a sculpture. Its exaggerated form is inspired by conventional A-frame house designs and also in particular by the sloped roofed constructions from Northern Iran. It redefines these elements and reinterprets them in a way that’s extravagant and graceful at the same time.

The architects played a lot with curves, giving the house a unique geometry and an unconventional layout
The architects played a lot with curves, giving the house a unique geometry and an unconventional layout
Full-height windows and sliding doors curve around the backyard, framing the wooden deck
Full-height windows and sliding doors curve around the backyard, framing the wooden deck

The overall design is defined by strong and obvious curves, featuring a V-shaped floor plan that frames a courtyard with its wings. The interior spaces seamlessly flow together, featuring curved walls, dividers and even gently arched ceilings. There’s nothing standard about this house yet you wouldn’t really be able to tell that by looking at it from the street, mainly because it’s difficult to even spot it from there.

This whole design is a symphony of graceful and soft curves that complement each other
This whole design is a symphony of graceful and soft curves that complement each other
Inside this nook is the kitchen, tucked alongside the staircase, on the ground floor
Inside this nook is the kitchen, tucked alongside the staircase, on the ground floor

The house takes advantage of a vertical structure and features a spiraling staircase that gracefully links all the floors and merges the spaces in a very elegant manner. On the ground floor, there’s an open living area that opens to the courtyard through sliding glass doors, overlooking the riverbed and the distant landscape. On one side of the floor plan you can see the kitchen, concealed inside this white shell. It’s both open and closed, making the most of the curved wall that surrounds it.

The staircase spirals around and undulates like a lightweight ribbon, linking the spaces seamlessly
The staircase spirals around and undulates like a lightweight ribbon, linking the spaces seamlessly
With this house it's almost like living inside a giant, abstract sculpture
With this house it’s almost like living inside a giant, abstract sculpture