Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Office

Creating a version of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation office was an excellent experiment in the blending of conceptual design and the application of new organizational systems brought on by the rise of Covid.

The project, located in Tehran, Iran, required extensive research- from the lost art forms of ancient Persia to understanding how someone today works most effectively in their environment. On a single story of skyscraper, I wanted to plan an office that paid homage to the forms of Persian sculpture while also remaining functional for every type of worker.

This is an ancient Persian horse cheek-plate from the Iron Age. Much of the sculpture from the region’s history has been lost due to a variety of reasons including changes in leadership, religious beliefs, and changes in the actual landscape The balance of organic and rectilinear form within the sculpture informed the organizational strategy of this office scape. The natural coloring of the weathered bronze inspired research into Persian art history and theory. Understanding these aspects of Tehran was essential in the process of deciding what needed to be represented in the project.