Introduction

Beski Park and Cultural Center is a 17,000 m² civic project comprising a 15,500 m² urban park and a 2,100 m² cultural facility, located in the city of Gonbad, bordering the Hyrcanian Forest, a globally significant ecological zone and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Golestan Biosphere Reserve in northern Iran.

Commissioned by the Sabzgaman Beski Institute, a local environmental NGO founded by the family of (in the memory of) the late Dr. Gholamali Beski - a physician and humanitarian - the project is dedicated to his legacy of environmental advocacy and ethical responsibility. At the time of commission, the site was partially developed under a municipal scheme based on a traditional chahār-bāgh layout, with axial paths and multiple building footprints. Two structural shells from this earlier plan were retained and integrated into the new design, forming the basis for the adaptive reuse strategy that defines the Cultural Center.

The existing building, originally conceived as a library and educational facility, was adapted into a multifunctional cultural complex through the connection of two on-site structures via a first-floor bridge and the addition of two new volumes accommodating three multipurpose cultural venues. The extension was introduced with minimal visual impact, allowing the built form to merge with the landscape and cede visual primacy to topography and planting.

Project goals

The project aims to redefine the landscape as a representation of the unique natural character of Hyrcanian forests in North Iran and to recognize the ecological and cultural values of the Golestan Region. The Park is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Gholam-Ali Beski – a physician, humanist, and environmentalist. The project overally tries to expand the limits of the designed landscape to a greater national and international milieu and act as a catalyst in the sustainable social and cultural development of the Golestan region and the natural preservation of the Hyrcanian forests.

• Raising awareness about hyrcanian forests
• Supporting the preservation of hyrcanian forest
• Hommage to Dr Beski
• Re-shaping the identity of Gonbad city
• Empowering local community

Concept

The Hyrcanian forests as a “global natural heritage is a key concept in the main design approach of this project. These forests, together with the regional, national, and international functions of the project will link the designed landscape into a larger human and natural ecosystem. The proposed plants for Beski Park are a combination of Hyrcanian species and non-native ornamental plants. The project overally tries to expand the limits of the designed landscape to a greater national and international milieu and act as a catalyst in the sustainable social and cultural development of the Golestan region and the natural preservation of the Hyrcanian forests.

Topography Development

Topography, as a design medium, reinterprets the landscape through references to the Hyrcanian forest. A sequence of artificial hills structures spatial experience, modulating enclosure and openness, framing views, and dissolving the flatness of the urban condition. The broad slopes act as informal ramps, enabling continuous movement across the park and direct access to the building’s upper level, thereby tightly integrating architecture and landscape into a single, legible system. Topographical interventions on the site have created several hill-shaped areas which are vegetated with native plants of the region. The landforms shape a natural landscape. Each vegetated area is devoted to a unique “family of plants” that are usually found to live together in symbiosis in Hyrcanian forests. The planting concept adds both ecological and symbolic values to the park. Beyond spatial and experiential roles, the constructed topography operates as an ecological infrastructure, addressing the site’s high groundwater level caused by impermeable soil layers and inadequate sewage systems. Elevating planting zones above saturated ground conditions protects root systems and enables a broader range of species to establish and thrive. In shaping the project’s topography, we considered a range of design criteria and environmental factors:

• Views from inside to outside
• Natural landsacape and forest
• Defining relation of building and park
• Undergound water level and plantation consideration
• Human scale
• Spatial organization within landscape

Connection to site in different Scales

We established multiple layers of connection with the city through various architectural and landscape strategies.

• Local scale: Restaurant, Music School, Playground, Shops...

• National & International scale: Hyrcanian as a laboratory, Multifunctional Cultural Spaces

Planting Plan

The planting strategy, developed in collaboration with a Hyrcanian forest ecologist, draws on forest-layer symbiosis as a design principle. Each hill is dedicated to a specific plant community, reflecting species that coexist in the Hyrcanian forest, with selected combinations of native forest plants complemented by resilient, adaptable ornamental species. A transitional planting palette is proposed during the early years, gradually giving way to a shade-dependent forest understory as tree canopies mature

The proposed plants for Beski Park are a combination of Hyrcanian species and non-native ornamental plants. We envisioned a two-phase strategy for planting. In the first phase, ornamental plants suitable for the climate of Gonbad were introduced. Over the course of six months, these ornamental species are intended to be gradually replaced with native vegetation from the Hyrcanian forests, ensuring both ecological compatibility and long-term resilience.

In the second phase, a variety of plant species gradually identified and collected from the Hyrcanian forests are introduced. These species are planted once the site has been prepared to provide suitable conditions for their growth. By selecting plants of varying sizes and incorporating evergreens, views are carefully controlled, directing the gaze as much as possible from the street toward the interior of the site. The process is estimated to take a maximum of six years.

The Hyrcanian plants needed for this project are currently being propagated in a nursery founded specifically for this project.

Within the created topography, each hill is dedicated to one of the main plant families of the Hyrcanian forest.This approach gives each zone its own unique atmosphere and ecologycal calendar. These families include the following six groups:

• Alnus
• Popula
• Acer
• Parrotia persica
• Gleditsia caspica
• Quercus

The Building

The project’s program is structured to operate across local, regional, and global scales, positioning architecture as an active social and cultural agent. By integrating a cinema and theater complex alongside two additional multifunctional cultural venues, the project enables cultural production ranging from everyday urban use to international initiatives such as environmental film events, linking the park to wider ecological discourse. A music school, developed in response to community input, reinforces Turkmen musical heritage within a contemporary cultural framework. A restaurant accommodated within the existing structure and extended into the landscape supports daily public life. Collectively, the program situates architecture as a performative framework through which cultural, social, and environmental processes activate the site.

The project repositions architecture as a framework for cultural, ecological, and social engagement, fostering environmental awareness and strengthening connections between people and place in a context of environmental and socio-economic pressures. The design is guided by the core values of architecture as a social catalyst, evolving through sustained dialogue and collaboration with the local community. Equally central is the belief that sustainability and resilience are inherently local, arising from solutions grounded in the social, material, and ecological context.

The building façade employs traditional handmade brick with banded brickwork, creating alternating projections and recesses that provide passive shading in the region’s hot climate while referencing local architectural heritage. A green wall on the southern façade further moderates solar gain and enhances the microclimate. Together with the integration of volumes into the landscape and the surrounding topography, these strategies allow interior spaces to remain naturally cool, minimizing energy use and embedding the building sustainably within its context.

Irrigation

To enable this landscape in Gonbad’s arid climate, a groundwater extraction system was implemented as part of the project. This system makes use of the site’s underground water resources to support irrigation, addressing a critical environmental constraint and making the establishment of forest-based planting possible beyond the humid conditions of the Hyrcanian region. Water testing confirmed its suitability for irrigation use. Surplus extracted water is made available for off-site use, including local agricultural and other local demands, positioning the landscape as an active ecological and infrastructural interface.

**interdisciplinary and collaborative process **

An essential aspect of Beski Park and Cultural Center is its interdisciplinary and collaborative process. The project evolved through sustained dialogue between the client, architects, consultants, and the local community, with iterative adjustments to program, materials, and construction details in response to budget, local capabilities, and community input. Central to the landscape strategy is the principle of continuity: the park is designed to evolve, mature, and adapt over time, shaping both ecological systems and participatory design processes. Realized within the constraints of economic and political instability, the project required resilience, adaptability, and iterative problem-solving, demonstrating that sustainability encompasses not only ecological performance but also long-term social and cultural viability. In this context of uncertainty, the project embodies a deliberate commitment to continuity and generational stewardship.