Farmanfarmaian: oral history of Iran’s contemporary architecture

Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian, Iranian architect, offspring of Persian nobleman Abdol Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma and a member of the Qajar dynasty of Iran, passed away in Spain on June 21.

IBNA: Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian passed away on Friday, June 21, in Palma, Spain. He was 93. The noted architecture was laid to rest today in Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris.

He can be called the oral history of Iran’s contemporary architecture, chairman of the Iranian Society of Architecture Luminaries Alireza Qhahari said.

Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian was born is Shiraz in 1920 as the tenth son to Prince Abdol-Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma, at the time Governor General of the province of Shiraz.

His Baccalaureate degree was received in 1938. Architectural studies were initiated in the École Spéciale d'Architecture, where he started to prepare for the Beaux Arts School .The onset of World War II broke the continuity of his studies and had to leave for Iran in 1940 where he stayed until 1945.

After the end of World War II, Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian came back to Paris with his family to continue his studies and was admitted at the Atelier of Mr. Nicot at the world famous Ecole des Beaux Arts where he received his degree in 1950.

The final project presented as his thesis was the design for a modern caravanserai to be situated in southern Iran. This project received the prize for “the best thesis (diploma) of the year.” In 1950 Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian moved back to Teheran for good until 1979, where he proceeded to create one of Iran’s most important modern-day architectural legacies.

Qhahari went on to say that Farmanfarmaian’s name is included in the ‘Book of Iran’s Architectures’- a bilingual English-Persian encyclopedia- beside other architecture veterans and scholars.

Talking about his precious works, he added: “Azadi Stadium, Imam Khomeini Airport, National Iranian Oil Company Headquarters, Atomic Energy Project for University of Tehran, Mehr-abad Airport Expansions Program, Vanak Park Apartment Complex, New Niavaran Palace as well as Carpet Museum are some of his works.”

The Iranian Society of Architecture Luminaries is planning to hold a commemoration for late Farmanfarmaian.