Type: Urban Design
Date: 2020
Area: 250,000 sqm
Location: Isfahan, Kashan
Client: Isfahan Science and Technology Park

The Ghiyas al-Din Kashani Science and Technology Park is a landmark urban design project, established to create a systematic foundation for fostering innovation, promoting entrepreneurial culture, enhancing the competitiveness of knowledge‑based companies, and increasing social wealth through the development of a knowledge‑based economy. By providing the essential infrastructure for hosting technology companies and institutions, this complex facilitates knowledge commercialization, technology transfer, and industry‑academia interaction, serving as a key node within the regional innovation ecosystem.
The conceptual structure of the project is rooted in the traditional Persian garden and the chaharbagh (four‑part garden) pattern, where intersecting geometry and perpendicular axes define the spatial organization. Within this framework, four primary functional zones, designated as “gardens,” have been designed to reflect the region’s native and technological capacities: the Garden of Industry (machinery and metal), the Garden of Knowledge (electricity, electronics, energy, advanced technologies, and nanotechnology), the Garden of Identity (food and textile industries, highlighting local legacies such as rosewater distillation and carpet weaving), and the Garden of Tourism (architecture and Kashan studies). This functional division creates spatial coherence while mirroring the cultural, economic, and historical fabric of Kashan.
Given its location in Kashan’s hot and arid climate, the garden serves not only as a spatial organizer but also as a symbol of comfort and tranquility. The deliberate use of water-inspired by traditional desert water management and soil structures, alongside strategic vegetation, pavilions, and the entrance gateway, grants the complex a climate‑responsive identity. The central plaza is designed as a sunken courtyard, a vernacular architectural pattern that helps moderate climatic conditions. Spatially, the main entrance is located to the south, with the incubator building positioned along the primary axis to serve as the hub of innovation and the core of activity.
The site is organized with a geometric and hierarchical order: companies are placed on the east and west, laboratories at the four corners of the gardens, and workshops at the site’s perimeter. Additionally, the northern electrical substation, a design constraint, has been integrated into the overall site planning. The complex features two main categories of use: specialized functions (independent companies, incubator center, children’s science park, multi‑tenant/multi‑purpose spaces, technology marketplace, workshops, and laboratories) and supporting services (restaurants, cultural/religious spaces, guesthouse, sports facilities, and commercial units) to ensure a dynamic and functional environment.
In summary, the Ghiyas al-Din Kashani Science and Technology Park integrates the chaharbagh geometry, motifs from Persian carpets, and Kashan’s unique identity to present a model for knowledge‑based development. It is a space where technology, nature, history, and economy interact in a balanced manner, resulting in an environment that is both highly innovative and deeply rooted in its context.