Ziba Project

About the Project

The design concept is based on a double-skin façade system.

A sculptural white outer layer is positioned in front of a dark architectural background, while carefully designed geometric openings reveal portions of the inner surface. This deliberate contrast between light and dark creates depth, shadow, and visual movement, giving the building a contemporary architectural identity without relying on decorative elements.

Rather than treating the façade as a flat surface, the architectural skin was designed as a three-dimensional composition that changes throughout the day as sunlight interacts with its recessed and projecting forms.

Design Challenges

One of the primary challenges of the project was the timing of the architectural intervention.

The façade design process began after the structural system and many construction limitations had already been established. Ideally, façade architects participate during the earliest design stages, before the structural frame and cantilevers are finalized, allowing greater freedom to develop depth, proportions, and architectural articulation.

Despite these constraints, Farid + Arjmand Architects redefined the building’s external envelope by introducing a completely new architectural language that significantly enhanced its visual identity.

Following the successful completion of the façade design, the client also commissioned the studio to design the building’s interior spaces, ensuring continuity between the exterior architecture and the interior environment.

Design Outcome

The Ziba Project demonstrates how a carefully designed architectural envelope can redefine an existing residential building.

Through the use of a layered façade composition, geometric openings, and the contrast between white and dark surfaces, the project achieves a contemporary architectural expression with strong visual depth and a distinctive urban presence.