It is a beautiful rock climbing gym by any standards, but an especially magnificent structure for Iran, which is renowned for its ancient architecture, but which has floundered in the last several decades due to messy internal and external politics. At 4,400 square meters, the gym has a “fragmented mass” that resembles giant boulders; giant, angular windows evoke crevices in the rocks and allow daylight to penetrate deep into the building.

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They also provide climbers a visual connection with the landscape – as if to motivate them to scale the country’s highest peak visible from inside. “Boulder-like walls … were inspired by the geological process of the large-scale movements of the earth‘s crust and its tectonic forces, programs include a dynamic climbing hall, temporary accommodation zone, fitness gym and maintenance areas,” according to Arch Daily. The building is clad in white fiber cement panels that provide visual continuity with the snowy landscape and offer climbers the opportunity to practice their moves on the outside of the building as well. The main structural system is comprised of steel moment resisting frames and tubular trusses transmit the floor loads to vertical elements.

Many climbing gyms offer a cool place to practice moves, train, or hang out during the day, but it’s less well popular to actually be able to stay there. We love that aspect of this project. Of course, there’s no mention of environmental factors, but anyone who loves and respects mountains would surely want to protect the land around them as well?

:: Arch Daily

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