Aftandilians Workshop

The Architecture of Evolution Tuesdays workshop series is organized to revisit the lives, ideas, and works of architects who played a significant role in shaping contemporary Iranian architecture but whose professional careers remain relatively undocumented. Many of these architects contributed to the architectural developments of the past century and left behind valuable works. However, for various reasons, few comprehensive and independent studies have been conducted on their careers, and a large part of their professional legacy remains little known.
This workshop series is an effort to reintroduce architects who made a substantial contribution to the development of modern architecture in Iran but whose names and works have received limited attention in the media, professional publications, and architectural research. Many of these architects pursued their professional practice with precision, commitment, and high standards, without seeking public recognition or media exposure. Today, their works form an important part of Iran’s contemporary architectural heritage.
The first workshop in the series, entitled “A Pure Modernist,” was dedicated to the life and works of Gabriel Guevrekian and was held on 16 August 2022. The second workshop, entitled “Lost Gardens,” focused on the life and works of Christopher Tadaossian and took place on 13 September 2022. Both events were held at the Iranian Artists Forum and were well received by researchers, students, and architecture enthusiasts.
The third workshop in the Architecture of Evolution Tuesdays series was dedicated to the life and works of Eugène Aftandilians, a distinguished architect whose extensive professional career and significant contribution to contemporary Iranian architecture remain relatively unfamiliar to many researchers and enthusiasts. The workshop was held on 1 January 2026 at the Architecture of Evolution Permanent Gallery and focused on revisiting key aspects of his professional life and architectural works.
During this one-day program, Bijan Shafiei and Negar Mansouri served as the workshop presenters, examining different aspects of Eugène Aftandilians’ life and professional career. The session reviewed his educational background and professional experience while introducing and analyzing his major projects and surviving works. It also examined the position of Aftandilians’ architecture within the broader development of Iranian architecture and discussed the characteristics of his work in relation to the cultural and social context of his time.
Another part of the workshop focused on his design methods, architectural approach, and the defining characteristics of his works. Participants were introduced to a selection of projects designed by Aftandilians, and the process behind their design and execution was discussed. These discussions provided a clearer understanding of his contribution to the development of modern architecture in Iran.
The Aftandilians Workshop was held as part of the ongoing research-oriented activities of the Architecture of Evolution Group, an initiative that emphasizes the documentation, introduction, and re-evaluation of lesser-known architects and works of contemporary Iranian architecture. Like the previous workshops in the series, this program represented another step toward expanding knowledge of the history of contemporary Iranian architecture and drawing attention to architects whose contributions have been influential but have received limited scholarly attention.