Vila-XI
Fereshteh Street, Tehran
Designed by Pouya Gerami
Brutal. Bold. Balanced.
Emerging from the dense urban fabric of Tehran’s prestigious Fereshteh Street, Vila-XI presents a sculptural presence . its raw concrete façade carved with sharp lines, recessed planes, and intentional shadows. The brutalist language is evident at first glance: honest materials, monumental massing, and minimal ornamentation.
Yet beneath its visual weight, the villa breathes. Every cut, cantilever, and opening is calculated to allow natural light, air, and privacy to coexist. The exterior volume doesn’t impose ,it protects. The architecture becomes a sheltering form, turning inward, while still asserting itself confidently within the city.
As both architect and planner, Pouya Gerami shaped the project not just as a building, but as a response to its site, its era, and its users. Designed in 2022, Vila-XI reflects a deeply personal vision: a space where timeless strength meets everyday elegance.
Project Overview
Nestled in the upscale residential fabric of Fereshteh Street, Vila-XI is a sculptural, four-level villa that redefines urban luxury through the lens of contemporary brutalism. Entirely conceptualized and designed by Pouya Gerami, the project seamlessly integrates architectural planning with a powerful, monolithic exterior.
The design reflects a deliberate tension between bold, raw materials and refined spatial organization. Vila-XI isn’t just a place to live it’s a spatial narrative built around hierarchy, light, function, and structure.
Architectural Concept
Vila-XI’s bold concrete façade, paired with recessed voids and carefully placed fenestration, creates a dynamic dialogue between solidity and lightness. The villa rises across three levels above ground and one subterranean level, each floor articulating a distinct programmatic identity while maintaining architectural cohesion.
Program Breakdown
Basement (-1):
Dedicated to wellness and infrastructure, the basement includes a private swimming pool, mechanical service rooms, and utility access. It also serves as the first stop for the elevator that connects all levels vertically.Ground Floor (Level 0):
This level acts as the public threshold of the villa featuring the lobby, main entrance, and private parking area. An elegant stair and panoramic elevator guide visitors and residents upward into the residential volumes.First Floor (Level 1):
The functional heart of the residence, this floor initiates the main living experience with a spacious lobby, open-plan living and dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. The architecture opens up to natural light while preserving privacy through calculated massing and façade articulation.Second Floor (Level 2):
A central double-height void connects this level to the floor below, creating visual continuity and light penetration. This floor includes two bedrooms, a secondary kitchen, a private gym, and a workplace, offering a mix of relaxation and productivity within a refined domestic layout.Third Floor (Level 3):
At the villa’s peak are two luxurious master bedrooms, each designed with privacy, comfort, and panoramic city views in mind. The floor culminates the spatial journey with serenity and exclusivity.
Key Features
Brutalist exterior with exposed concrete, sculptural forms, and recessed terraces
Panoramic elevator connecting all four levels
Double-height interior void, enhancing spatial drama and light circulation
Integrated private wellness zone with a pool and gym
Balanced zoning: private vs. public, active vs. passive, vertical vs. horizontal
Located in the heart of Fereshteh, offering urban prestige and privacy
Architect’s Note
“Vila-XI was an exploration of mass, flow, and material honesty. It was my goal to create a form that’s bold yet livable, introverted yet expressive a grounded residence that connects deeply with the environment, the user, and itself.”
— Pouya Gerami
