Bronze Cultural Heritage · 2025
Ersie Cafe and Restaurant
by Ali Moazzen
- Bronze A' Design Award 2025 in Cultural Heritage
- CLIENT: Ersie Mansion
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 26,194
- Verification code AB3C3F20BE · Verify this award
Colors
About Ersie Cafe and Restaurant
This project transforms a historic Qajar era villa into a modern cafe restaurant while preserving its architectural authenticity. Restored features include Orsi windows, intricate plaster moldings, and wooden doors. Structural reinforcement with masonry and sustainable materials ensures stability. Advanced HVAC systems and adaptive lighting enhance functionality. Accessibility features like an elevator and Braille menus promote inclusivity. This design seamlessly blends heritage with contemporary needs, creating a unique and inviting space.
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Ersie Cafe and Restaurant is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Ersie Cafe and Restaurant is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Ersie Cafe and Restaurant splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This design revitalizes a Qajar-era villa into a cafe-restaurant, blending historical authenticity with modern functionality. Unique features include restored architectural details, preserved century-old trees, innovative space reuse, and accessibility enhancements like an elevator and Braille menus. A tribute to craftsmanship further merges history with contemporary design.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Land Area: 2,200 m²
Built-up Area: 846 m²
Structure: Masonry with steel reinforcement
Installations: Central chiller and boiler system
Original Features: Restored Orsi windows, plaster moldings, and wooden doors
Renovated Spaces: Expanded basement, preserved vestibule, and structural reinforcements for load-bearing walls.
Accessibility: Elevator for disabled access, Braille menus for inclusivity. - Tags
- Qajar architecture, adaptive reuse, café-restaurant design, historical restoration, Orsi windows, architectural preservation, sustainable design, inclusive design, masonry reinforcement, heritage revitalization
- Production Technology
- The project utilized a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Original masonry structures were reinforced with steel frames for stability, while advanced plaster restoration techniques revived intricate moldings. Custom-crafted Orsi windows and restored wooden doors preserved authenticity. Sustainable materials were used for new additions, and modern HVAC systems were integrated into historical spaces. The design followed meticulous site analysis and historical documentation methodologies.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge of this project was navigating the delicate balance between preserving the villa's historical integrity and adapting it to a modern function. The internal challenge was the discovery of significant alterations made during the Pahlavi era, which obscured the original Qajar architecture. Externally, strict heritage conservation laws and the need for advanced restoration techniques posed obstacles. Overcoming these challenges required innovative approaches to both the design and construction processes while respecting legal and historical constraints.
- Research
- he research conducted for this renovation focused on the adaptive reuse of historical architecture. The primary objective was to preserve the Qajar-era villa's heritage while adapting it for modern use as a café-restaurant. The methodology involved detailed analysis of architectural documents, structural assessments, and site visits. Tools included archival research, structural simulations, and restoration techniques. The results led to the successful preservation of key historical features, with a significant impact on local cultural tourism and heritage conservation. This project demonstrated the importance of integrating historical preservation with functional modern design, benefiting both society and the design field by promoting sustainable restoration practices.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for this project stemmed from a deep respect for historical architecture and a desire to revive a semi-abandoned Qajar-era villa. The unique opportunity to uncover and restore hidden architectural details, combined with the building’s rich narrative and prime location, motivated the design. Extensive research into historical preservation techniques and adaptive reuse strategies ensured a balance between honoring the past and meeting contemporary needs.
- Project Duration
- The project commenced in 2021 and was completed in 2023, located in the qazvin. The renovation aimed to transform a historically significant Qajar-era villa into a modern café-restaurant while preserving its original architectural essence. The completed design now serves as both a public space and a tribute to the building’s rich heritage, blending traditional elements with contemporary functionality.
- Operation Flow
- The design seamlessly blends the old with the new, allowing visitors to experience the rich history of the building while enjoying modern amenities. The café-restaurant layout encourages flow, with clear pathways from the entrance to the main dining areas and VIP spaces. The preservation of original walls and structures enhances the atmosphere, while modern installations like the elevator and central cooling system ensure comfort and accessibility, making the space both functional and welcoming for all visitors.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Ali Mozzan, 2024.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.
