A barrel-vaulted roof, constructed from steel and brick and adorned with glossy turquoise tiles, shelters this community kitchen in Iran, designed by the local practice Song Architects.
Known as Aghajoon Kitchen, the 539-square-metre building replaces an unhygienic, roofless cooking area that had long been a central part of daily life in Khalilabad Village, located in Yazd province.
“The goal was to transform a makeshift and temporary space into a permanent, climate-responsive facility, while preserving its important social and cultural role,” explained Song Architects architect Seyed Amirhossein Sahiholnasab in an interview with Dezeen.
“Given its deep-rooted function as a gathering place for the village—especially during religious events, community gatherings, and wedding celebrations—it was essential to reimagine it as a sustainable, hygienic, and contextually integrated building.”
Entering through tall doors set within the tiled facade, visitors are guided by a strip of turquoise tiles on the floor into the main kitchen area. Here, large cooking vats are arranged beneath exposed ductwork and the black steel trusses that support the brick-vaulted ceiling.
A mezzanine lounge overlooks this central space, accessed by a steel staircase with turquoise-colored treads. This elevated area is positioned above a block that houses bathrooms, ablution facilities, and storage, all set against a fully tiled rear wall of the interior.
Natural light enters through small arched windows and skylights, each set within deep reveals lined in turquoise tiles to echo the building’s exterior character.
“Our choice of materials was driven by what was locally available, cost-effective, and culturally resonant. Brick, plaster, and turquoise tile are integral to Yazd’s architectural heritage and made by local craftspeople,” Sahiholnasab explained.
