In Iran, An Ambitious Factory Tailor-Made for its Workers

Completed in 2024, the striking factory by Davood Boroojeni Office has many sides: on one elevation, raw iron sheets convey the industrial nature of the building; on the other, masonry blocks articulate a friendly, almost residential character. A concrete staircase cuts through a corner of the structure, creating a surprising, idiosyncratic entryway.

Rectangular building with a rust-colored metal facade, external staircase, sparse landscaping, and partly cloudy sky in the background.

Located in the desert industrial town of Omid Alborz, 10 kilometres from Mahdasht-Ishtahard road, the 2,200-square-metre building serves as the process department of Shamim Polymer Factory. Right from the start, the architects argued for an asymmetrical parallelogram form for the building — which can also be viewed as two geometric forms abutting each other — rather than a traditional factory layout.

A large, rust-colored industrial building sits on barren ground under a blue sky with scattered white clouds.

A modern building with a rust-colored, corrugated metal facade, featuring rectangular patterns and small plants in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

They also adapted their design to the needs of workers, which they observed when visiting the site pre-construction. They had completed another project for the polymer factory nearby and found that the workers were adding new uses to the building that the designers had not predicted.

A man sits on a bench under a concrete staircase, talking on his phone, with light streaming through large windows and a small tree nearby.

It became clear then that this new workplace should feature amenities that the employees actually wanted rather than enforce a program from above. Hence, a designated spot where they can take a cigarette break. “One observation concerned a place almost every factory has, but almost no architect designs: the smoking area,” the architects explain.

A modern building with a rusted metal facade and concrete steps sits in a dry, open landscape with mountains in the background.

“Instead of remaining an improvised space beyond the building, it became a transparent room integrated into the architectural composition. Visually connected to the production floor while environmentally separated, the space acknowledges an existing routine rather than attempting to eliminate or disguise it.” Located on both the east and west sides, these relaxation areas for smoking are surrounded by pleasant green spaces.

A person walks past a gray brick building with a red recessed entrance, small plants in front, and a balcony above the doorway.

When one employee suggested the inclusion of a chicken coop, that, too, became part of the plan. Chickens and roosters are kept in a free chicken coop atop a one-metre-block wall just outside the building.

A red, angular structure stands against a gray concrete wall beneath a metal mezzanine with vertical railings and a window above, in an industrial interior space.

These considerations alone make the building unique. And the architecture, which generously serves up these moments, strives for excellence and nuance from the macro to the micro scale. That floating staircase in the southeast corner, which seems to float, “symbolizing movement and life,” is the most vivid example. But the project was also driven by a deep commitment to sustainable design: The cement blocks that form its walls were produced in surrounding factories; the 1,000 cubic metres of soil excavated for the construction were saved and reused; the rooftop integrates a rainwater collection system; and thermal comfort, through natural ventilation, was a key focus.

Industrial interior with exposed brick walls, high ceiling, and a red, cube-shaped office pod elevated above ground level, connected by a balcony. Natural and artificial light fill the space.

The process department at Shamim Polymer Factory is a robust example of user-driven design, and its innovative architecture makes it all the more compelling. “Instead of introducing a new formal concept, the project began by asking what architecture could learn from a building already occupied,” the architects explain. “The result is an industrial facility shaped not only by technical requirements but also by the everyday realities of work that conventional planning often leaves unaddressed.”