Theatre of Dreams
May 19, 2023
Talking about his work designing the Azadi Stadium in Iran, 70-year-old architect Nader Ardalan says it is like taking a trip down memory lane. Ardalan was still in his twenties
in 1968 when his firm Abdol Aziz Farmanfarmaian Associates was commissioned to design what would be, and still is, one of the world’s largest sports stadiums on a barren, 320-Hectares site to the west of Tehran.
Originally named the Aryamehr Stadium, the stadium was to be completed by October 1971 to coincide with the 2,500 anniversary of the Iranian monarchy. It was a huge undertaking for the
young architect.