description Hossein Amanat Overview
Hossein Amanat is an Iranian-Canadian architect born in 1942 in Tehran. He designed Tehran's Azadi Tower, completed in 1971 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. A Baha'i, he emigrated to Canada following the Iranian Revolution and his architectural practice now operates from Vancouver.
help Hossein Amanat FAQ
How did Hossein Amanat get the commission for Azadi Tower?
Amanat won a national design competition while still a young architect recently graduated from the University of Tehran. The resulting Shahyad Tower was completed in 1971 and renamed Azadi Tower after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Which Persian architectural styles influenced Azadi Tower?
Amanat combined modern structural geometry with references to pre-Islamic and Islamic Iranian architecture. Its arches evoke forms associated with Sasanian monuments as well as later Persian vaulting and tilework.
What did Hossein Amanat design outside Iran?
His international projects include buildings for the Bahá'í World Centre on Mount Carmel in Haifa. He also designed the Bahá'í House of Worship in Samoa.
Why was Azadi Tower originally called Shahyad Tower?
The original name Shahyad commemorated Iran's monarchy and the imperial anniversary for which the monument was commissioned. After the 1979 revolution, it became Azadi Tower, using the Persian word for freedom.
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