In memoriam of Iraj Kalantari – Prominent Iranian Architect

In memoriam of Iraj Kalantari – Prominent Iranian Architect

BY: Dr.Ali Kiafar

Iraj Kalantari Taleghani (1937- 21 February 2023) was one of the well-known and well respected architects of Iran for many decades. Having started his professional career exactly sixty years ago when he graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tehran University, with a master’s degree in architecture. In his professional and academic productive life, Kalantari was involved in the practice of architecture, and actively participated in many professional associations and government organizations. For over 20 years he also taught design courses at a number of universities such as University of Tehran, University of Science and Industriy (Elm – o – San’at) and the Islamic Azad Uinversity. He also was a member of and contributed to several professional magazines and publications such as Memar (Architect) Magazine, Modern Architecture (Memaari– e Modern), Architecture and City Planning (Memari va Shahr-saazi), and Development (Abaadi).

In an array of publications and writings, several examples of Iraj Kalantari’s work are noteworthy: An analysis of the causes of marginal living (haashieh neshini) in seventeen cities with the population of more than 100,000 people; The modification to the urban revitalization and development law; and Typological analysis of the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf.

Architect Kalantari’s wide range of architectural projects included some notable projects such as the design and construction management of Imam Khomeini International Airport, the International University of

Qazvin, design and management of the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Ambassador’s Residence in Yerevan, Armenia, and the Chai-kenaar Complex in Tabriz, Iran.

What is more interesting aspect of his architectural practice is that Iraj Kalantari was one of the most noted, and innovative architects of residential projects, especially during the golden era of Iranian architecture in the 1960s and 1970s. He combined the principles and traits of the modern architecture with the well-established manifestations of the vernacular architecture of Iran. He was indeed one of the very few architects of his time – architects such as Mehdi Alizadeh, Yousef Shari’at-zadeh, Kourosh Farzami, Latif Abolghassemi and Shahab Katouzian who all created architectural designs in this genre of the mix of the modern architecture of the West with the Iranian architecture of the past. This style of architecture provided a unique flavor to the contemporary architecture of Iran in the mid Twentieth Century.

One of the notable aspects of Kalantari’s residential projects was the fact that he designed the residences of several known artists, writers, and intellectuals, included among which were Najaf Daryabandari (writer, translator), Mahshid Amir-Shahi (novelist), Sameen Baghcheh-baan (composer, poet and writer), Homayoun San’ati-zadeh (writer, translator, researcher and philanthropist) and Karl Schlamminger (the German painter and designer who lived in Iran for years, married an Iranian lady and contributed to many architectural projects in various capacities) as well as his own brother Parviz Kalantari (artist and illustrator) .

Mahshid Amir- Shahi’s Residence

                                                    Najaf Daryabandari’s Residence

                                                   Karl Schlamminger’s Residence 

                                                    Residential Villa    

I had the pleasure of meeting Iraj Kalantari in the fall of 2013 in his office in Tehran. My interest in talking with him was part of my research for the series of books on the Transformations of the Society, Culture, Identity, City, City Planning an Architecture in Iran during the Times of Modernity, the first volume of which has been published under the title An Aperture to City Planning and Architecture in Iran: A Centennial Experience  in Persian: AAtashgahi dar Khaab-e AAtash-ha); the remining volumes of the series are in the process of completion*. In addition to the open-minded, stylistic, and innovative architect with roots in understanding the Iranian historical architecture and knowledgeable in vernacular architecture of Iran, I found Iraj Kalantari to be casual, easy going and willing to talk about his work at length, even though he made it very clear from the get-go that he was not an advocate of discussions about theories of and about architecture. He clearly emphasized that was true to his work and what his architecture demonstrates. And I respected that position even though I somehow managed to bring him into some theoretical discussions about architecture, even his own thoughts! My day long dialogue with Iraj Kalantari will be published in the third volume of my books. But that pleasant encounter and the values if him and his architecture will stay way beyond that for me and I have no doubt with so many colleagues, friends and students who worked with him, learned from him, and above all, greatly respected him.

About the author:

Ali A Kiafar, holds a master’s degree in architecture from the National University of Iran and a PhD in urban and regional planning from the University of Southern California. He has taught at the University of Southern California and University of California – Riverside starting in 1980.

Dr. Kiafar is the recipient of Excellence in Teaching Award from University of California – Riverside, recipient of Best Community Development Award from American Institute of Architects, and recipient of Architecture and City Planning Book Award from the Association of Luminaries of Architecture in Iran.