Yazd Apartment Hotel
Hotel / Yazd, Iran
A White Shell Around an Earthen Core
The project sets up a contemporary dialogue between a white monolithic shell and the warmth of an earthy interior, drawing on the architectural heritage of Yazd. Two towers rise from a shared base, framed by a continuous white shell that curves down to meet a bridge, which also forms the covered entrance between them.
Inside the frame, the façades are clad in warm, textured surfaces inspired by the natural soil tones and earthen architecture of Yazd. Small square perforations and narrow slots are cut into these walls in vertical bands, bringing depth, shadow and a strong sense of place, while vertical terracotta fins and screens reinterpret traditional desert shading in a contemporary language, providing privacy, solar control and rhythm.
Light cream travertine is used at the entrances, the building base and selected surfaces, adding durability and elegance in the subtle tones of the desert landscape. Dark bronze aluminium frames, fins and details sharpen the contrast between the white and earthy surfaces, and high-performance dark low-E glazing reduces solar heat gain and glare.
The same palette carries into the interiors. In the lobby, corridors and guest rooms, perforated earthen walls, timber lattice screens, travertine floors and warm concealed lighting filter the desert sun into patterns of light and shadow, and the guest rooms open toward views of the historic city.
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