16th August 2021 | IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedIn SBID Accredited practice, Tarh Va Afarinesh Architectural & Engineering Consultants provided their commercial design services to execute the development of a new dining destination for the Opal Trade Center’s latest food court. With a total area of 2,300 m2, the Opal Food Hall is located on the highest floor of an upscale trade centre in Northern Tehran, Iran. The mall consists of spacious retail areas allocated to high-end apparel, cosmetics, and home appliance brands, with the design concept of the food hall based on the designer’s concern about missing human relationships and connections in the modern urban life. Shiva Aghababaei, Co-founder of Tarh Va Afarinesh said: “Our design is driven by the belief that the quality of our surroundings has a direct effect on the quality of our lives. We believe that design shall embrace all aspects, ranging from the functional performance of a building to a concern for its physical and cultural context, as well as its aesthetics properties.” The concern for human connection is manifested in this project through the human figures and quotes about social life appearing around the space. Cosy corners are designed in the eating area, which shelter the occupants from stress of urban life whilst making no solid barriers between them. Plants and other green elements bring in the concepts of biophillia to establish nature connections, and make an implication to the need for modern urban societies to get back in touch with the natural environment. About Tarh Va Afarinesh Shiva Aghababaei, born in 1972, is an award winning architect and interior designer, a professional design member of SBID, and a chartered member of RIBA. She was graduated by a Master’s of Architecture from University of Art (Isfahan Campus), and this was the beginning of her long way to become a UK Construction Role Model in 2019. Her approach to architecture is a combination of love, perfection, and creativity, which are the fundaments of her works, many of which are recognised by international design and architecture awards. She has recently extended her activities to UK and other international markets. If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more. Visit Profile