A site-specific urban sculpture inspired by Shahr-e-Farang, a historical viewing device once used as a form of public entertainment.
- Public Urban Sculpture – Tehran Beautification Organization, Tehran, Iran, June 2016
Traditionally, Shahr-e-Farang functioned as a portable box through which viewers would observe curated images of distant places and notable figures. This project reinterprets that structure as a permanent urban element, transforming a forgotten visual apparatus into a contemporary spatial experience.
Constructed in concrete, the work integrates with the architectural context while emphasizing durability and permanence. The sculptural form invites interaction through its viewing apertures, referencing the original mechanism while shifting its function from spectacle to reflection.
Instead of reproducing imagery directly, the project operates as a conceptual frame—recalling the act of looking, the mediation of history, and the relationship between viewer and image.
By recontextualizing a vernacular device within public space, the work bridges past and present, transforming collective memory into a tangible urban form.
