Colorful organic forms have begun to appear on the sparsely populated western shore of Hormuz Island in Iran, rising up out of the island’s distinctive red sand. The initiative of Tehran-based ZAV Architects, the clusters of domed structures—vacation homes, restaurants, cafés and shops—are part of an ongoing project to empower the island’s community while encouraging tourism and investment. Central to the scheme is superadobe, an innovative building technique that uses local resources and that can be carried out by unskilled workers. Pioneered by the late Iranian architect Nader Khalili in the 1980s, superadobe was developed in response to a call from NASA for proposals for settlements that could be built on the moon. Khalili came up with the idea of filling polypropylene sacks with moon dust, which could be stacked in coils to create walls and domed This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-One Buy Now Related Stories Design Partnerships The Line of Beauty A linear look at the PK4 lounge chair, in partnership with Fritz Hansen. Design Fashion Issue 47 Jean Touitou The A.P.C. founder on the demands of hype and craft. Design Fashion Issue 47 Hot Desk The many faces of a multifunctional workstation. Design Fashion Issue 46 Samuel Ross Art, fashion, lifestyle: Samuel Ross has seen the future and it’s got his name all over it. Design Fashion Issue 46 Last Night What did designer Franck Gauthé do with his evening? Design Patricia Urquiola A catch-up in Seoul with Cassina’s creative director.
Design Partnerships The Line of Beauty A linear look at the PK4 lounge chair, in partnership with Fritz Hansen.
Design Fashion Issue 46 Samuel Ross Art, fashion, lifestyle: Samuel Ross has seen the future and it’s got his name all over it.