Restoration work on the historical Seb Castle, located in the Abarkuh district of Yazd province in central Iran, started on Saturday. These efforts are aimed at preserving the region's traditional adobe brick architecture, according to a local cultural heritage official.
Abbas Kadirian, head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Crafts Directorate of the Abarkuh district, noted that this castle is the largest residential citadel in Abarkuh and dates back to the Safavid era (1501–1736).
This complex, spanning 17,000 square meters, was included in Iran's National Heritage List in 2005 under registration number 13724. According to Kadirian, the residential complex features a characteristic grid layout, with most houses situated along alleys on both sides.
Traditional construction involves the use of unfired mud bricks, mud mortar, fired bricks, stone, and wood. Some older houses in the complex are decorated with decorative plasterwork, including floral and arabesque motifs, as well as muqarnas—a type of ornamental architectural vault.
The current restoration program includes establishing a conservation workshop, producing mud bricks mixed with water, removing damaged materials from surfaces, restoring mud walls using mud mortar, reinforcing deep cracks, and applying base and finishing layers of kah-gel, a traditional clay and straw plaster.
Kadirian emphasized that the restoration is vital for protecting the adobe architecture and the historical urban fabric of the castle. He added that continued conservation and maintenance can prevent further structural deterioration, preserve the architectural authenticity and historical identity of the complex, and promote conditions for its future use in cultural and tourism purposes.
Seb Castle is considered one of the largest residential adobe citadels in the country. Furthermore, Abarkuh is known for a cypress tree approximately 4,000 years old, which is also listed on the national heritage register. This tree has long been associated with the city's history and was described in records by the Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo.
The CASAVIVA / SHROFFLEóN Residence was conceived as an interaction between architectural design and landscape. This project transforms the residence into a succession of environments where natural elements are fundamentally integrated into the daily life of the residents.
The project was presented with the description provided by the design team. More details about the work can be accessed through the project gallery.
The Koma commercial development, designed by U.GA Architects, represents a transformation in the Haeridan-gil area. This location, previously characterized as a typical residential neighborhood, has been reconfigured into an urban landscape with strong cultural appeal through renovation processes.
In the alleys of this neighborhood, where old Western-style residences are revisited with sensitive approaches, new stories are created in every small space. In this context, the value of architecture is measured not only by its physical dimension but also by the attitude and harmony it manages to establish.
At the sharp meeting point of these alleys, the project named 'Koma' is positioned in a delicate border area.
The design team provided the description of this development, which consists of a single-family residence located in Kinuta, in the Setagaya district. The surroundings of the lot were characterized by large Japanese red pines and traditional buildings.
From the moment the site was observed, there was a desire to conceive a house that would integrate organically with the surrounding landscape.
The project was presented on the ArchDaily platform in Portuguese.
