A
boutique hotel and textile centre located in the historic quarter of Kashan, in
the province of Isfahan, the project entailed the restoration of a 19th
century merchant home, typical of the historic residential buildings of the
area which have for the most part fallen into complete disrepair. The initial
purpose that informed the undertaking was threefold: the revival of
historically significant hand-woven textile traditions of Kashan which were on
the brink of extinction; the renovation, restoration and revitalisation of a
historic house and its surrounding neighbourhood in order to draw attention to
the vast treasury of this architectural heritage in danger; and raising
awareness of the cultural, artistic and technological traditions embedded in
the Islamic architectural traditions of this region. It houses not only the textile
workshops for brocade, silk, cotton and velvet weaving, but also features the
city’s finest dining establishment, a contemporary art gallery, a handicraft
shop, and a subterranean movie house adapted from the original cistern of the
old structure The project has met with so much success that it has drawn
thousands of people from across the world, and has triggered many similar
initiatives across the city.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
