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SURNAME: NajafgholiNAME: AlirezaDATE OF BIRTH: July 13, 1985

B.A in Architecture

CONTACT INFO :ADDRESS: 1977, Hill Road, Marietta, GA 30062E-Mail: Alireza.Najafgholi@gmail.com info@alirezanajafgholi.irPhone Number: (770) 575 – 2127 HOME 678 900 4046 MOBILE

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When I’ve closed my eyes, I could imagine in a gloriously Romantic feel-good moment that the experience of a wonderful building might in some way equate with the pure magic experience of a piece of music. I was not sure, but the obvious thing that comes into my mind is that quote from Goethe: “Architecture is frozen music”. What could that phrase possibly mean? If the two terms are equivalent, does that mean that music could be seen as “liquid architecture”? What is the wonderful feeling of Architecture?In my opinion these were the same kinds of experience in the sense that they have the same effect: the powerful after-image. Yes, this was the fact: the experience of walking through Pasargadae or Persepolis was similar in some way to listening to Beethoven’s piano sonatas, or an interesting anecdote of Rumi…. What is the wonderful feeling of Architecture?And then, I’ve closed my eyes and repeated this: I want to be an Architect….I attained my bachelor of art in Architecture from Soore University, Faculty of Art and Architecture in Tehran, Iran. My hard works and enthusiasm in Architecture is shown in design and theories, and most of my designs are graded as top ranked in class.Academic studies have provided me with Iranian Architecture in ancient era and history of Architecture in ancient world and now, I would value the opportunity to gain experience in a keen academic environment to expand my studies especially in theories and also improve my skills in designing, too.While receiving my degree , I have developed skills in working with Architectural software and as you can see in the attached resume, I also have done photographical projects in historical planes and monuments in Iran and carried out studies in Iranian monuments and Achaemenid Architecture recognized especially as the first Persian architectural style. In addition, due to my keen interest in literature, theatre and cinema, I have played various theatrical roles at university based on my related experiences at high school and I’ve written some scripts and three novels. Actually I am very interested in different types of writing, factual and fictional, and I always enjoy researching, writing and collating information. I have keen interest in some types of music too, and I have played guitar in my teens and I always enjoy going to concerts.After completing my undergraduate education, I served as an assistant architect and then as a head designer in three firms and I have worked independently or as part of a team in various constructional projects in Tehran, Iran as you can see in this portfolio.And now the USA, the land of opportunities, has laid the ground for me to continue my education and I wish to attain a master degree and PhD to reach my dreams of becoming an Architect.Currently I’m improving my skills, updating my knowledge during adapting myself to American culture.I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life and I strive to be a successful person and have a successful career.

About Me

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Work Experiences:

Since 2012- Naji S. Amin Consultant Engineering Co. - Tehran, Iran (Designer)

Main activities and Responsibilities:

-Design crew of Imam-Ali Dental clinic - Tehran, Iran -Design crew of Imam Ali Polyclinic - Tehran, Iran -Design crew of Passive Defense Researches Center - Tehran, Iran -Design crew of Islamic Sciences Researches Center - Tehran, Iran -Head of design team: Patients Office Building - Tehran, Iran -Head of design team: Khordad Kindergarten - Tehran, Iran -Head of design team: Police University Dormitory - Tehran, Iran -Head and coordinator, producing construction document of Police University Dormitory

2010-2012- Iranshahr Consultant Engineering Co. - Tehran, Iran (Expert on Technical Office)

Main activities and Responsibilities:

-Estimate costs and schedules with construction projects -Preparing daily reports of the progress of the technical office to provide quality control

2009-2010 - Tasvirgaran N. Pars Design Studio – Tehran, Iran. Designer (Urban Elements & Interior)

Main activities and Responsibilities:

-Head designer of Urban elements for the historic neighborhoods with concern of identity of the neighborhoods Tehran, Iran -Head designer of urban elements for the historic neighborhoods with concern of Entrance of the neighborhoods - Tehran, Iran

Curriculum Vitae

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-Interior Design for Gaah SH. Novin Co. - Tehran, Iran -Interior Design for Residential areas Renovation - Tehran, Iran -Façade Design for Residential buildings - Tehran, Iran

Research Experiences:

2013-Cyrus the greate, the first Empire of Iran 2012-UNESCO National Committee in Iran 2009-Meditation, Sense and Myths in Achaemenid Architecture (Published in Tarh Journal , Soore University – Vol. III P.19-25) 2009-Architecture threshold on Archeological studies (Published in Mashgh-e-Khesht Journal , Soore University – Vol. II P. 9-17) 2008-Calatrava, Architect of Huge Structures 2008-Current Problems of concrete structures in Iran 2008-Contemporary urban culture under the influence of historical civilizations (Published in Tarh Journal , Soore University – Vol. II P.18-27) 2008-Iranian Architecture in Achaemenid era (Published in Mashgh-e-Khesht Journal , Soore University – Vol. I P. 8-19) 2007-Extinguish principles for building 2007-A comparative study on Iranian literature and Iranian Architecture 2006-History of caravanserais in Iran 2006-History of Architecture in Qazvin Zagha ancient hills

Education:

2010 - Soore University of Art and Architecture – Tehran, Iran B.A in Architecture

Competitions:

2013 – Bafkar Mall - Tehran , Iran 2012 – Kish Shopping Center – Kish , Iran 2012 – Ramsar Motel – Ramsar , Iran 2011 – Tehran Residential Complex – Tehran, Iran

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License:

Vocational License, Organization For Engineering Order Of Building – Tehran (Membership Code: 10-1-0-82797)

Academic Activities:

-Participant in Mashgh-e-Khesht Autonomous collegian magazine -Participant in Tarh Autonomous collegian magazine

Skills:

Artistic: -Model Making -Digital Photography -Researching and making scientific texts

Computer and Software: -AutoCAD(2D&3D) -Sketch up -MS Office word,Excel,PowerPoint -Adobe Photoshop -Adobe InDesign -Revit architecture -3Ds Max

References are available upon request

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Contents: Architectural Academic Experiences:

- Cultural, Commercial and Residential Complexes - Hotel - Shopping Centers and Malls

Architectural Professional Experiences:

-Medical Clinics -Scientific, Cultural and Research Centers -Office Buildings -Interior Designs -Façade Designs -Urban Element Designs

Architectural Competitions:

-Bafkar -Kindergarten -Kish Shopping Center -Ramsar Motel -Tehran Residential Complex Artistic Background:

-Photography -Sketch

Architectural Academic Experiences

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Persian Literature houseDr.Dariush Kasraei

Persian literature house is the first literature and poem house in Iran. In this project I tried to use simple basic cubes to mingle them with each other as an exterior form of the building. Interior designs of modern spaces such as galleries and public libraries are rarely seen in Iran. These simple forms show functionality of the building. Users pass semi-solid hallways to approach the galleries’ entrance. This semi-solid gallery is designed to control the light and sound penetration of the vestibule

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When people enter the site they can stop by the lobby and watch experimental theatre which occurs in the site, as well as an immediate reach to the destinations they are heading to, and pass this functional urban passage. They can also use circular faces and these spaces allow users experience site and complex in different views.

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When users enter the building, they face a vestibule space of galleries near the information center. The base concept is born from a free plan with no limitation and solid borders. Users will find themselves comfortable while they are using different gallery spaces. Gallery spaces need more silence and organization in a soundproof zone that’s ground floor level. Curved walls in front of each gallery, with rhythmic spaces inside the galleries, lead people into the museum-like spaces.

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The library hall needs more silence, organization, and to be lifted into an upper level. The library contains open book-shells. When a user enters the library zone, can find book search space nears the entrance and they can experience a high quality and different space of a public library.

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Tehran Commercial and Cultural CenterDr.Hosein A. Pourmand

Tehran commercial and cultural center is a high performance complex that creates a potential source of shopping and cultural treatments. Charismatic qualities of the site help people to think about the complexes as an urban pass that adjoins Vanak SQ to the Vali-asr Street (one of the important streets in Tehran) with a hierarchical entrance axis. Creating unlimited spaces with easy access to the complex allow users’ experiences to vary in sections from close spaces to semi-open spaces and open space.

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First level leads users’ have access to the commercial zone as well as reaching with a little different elevation to the section which is called the free zone. In this section, users are able to drink or have meals in food courts or while they are sitting on the couch.

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The key level is designed to display a better understanding of elevation and functional levels in plans and sections, as well as to show how spaces work together.

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I tried to divide the complex in three fundamental and vertical levels which was the best answer to the complex performances.

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Pardis HotelDr.Tahaei

The objective of the building is to introduce a landmark building in Tehran that is timeless, iconic, and will become a destination for international tourists and seekers of luxury. The hotel has hundreds of guestrooms and suites with four restaurants, a café and luxury retail facilities.

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The Hotel includes 24 stores, arranged into one high-level tower, accessed by a private way that surrounds site. A shopping center, Iranian restaurant, backpacker’s hostel with recreational pools and tennis courts, are all clustered in lower levels, providing facilities for non-hotel guests and daily visitors. Although premises for staff accommodation, maintenance facilities, sewerage treatment, and its plant nursery are located at the rear of the site, their design continues the Resort’s self-sustainability premise.

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In the site selecting process, I tried to provide easy access to fine dining and entertainment, and it is just one mile from Tehran’s largest shopping district which is conveniently located and accessible from all major highways. The hotel is only 20 minutes from the Mehr-Abad Airport and 30 minutes from Tehran downtown.

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Aryana Shopping CenterDr.Mohammad R. Akbarian

Architecture is the designing and building of structures while at the same time providing protection from the elements. The simplest structural requirements are easily satisfied by buildings shelter, but an architect’s job is to combine good design elements into a building that meets both current and future themes.

Commercial architecture is the design of buildings and structures for business use. This genre of architecture is focused on combining function with style to meet the needs of a wide range of business types. The impact of commercial architecture can be seen in any major city center, where almost all of the buildings are commercial.

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Continuity and the ability to recognize original intent is critical to the preservation of modern architecture. Original design intent is the visual and conceptual expression of the designer’s creativity; therefore it informs every aspect of both the building and its construction. It requires both a broader definition of authenticity and a less literal approach to material preservation, whereas in traditional preservation practice the original material and its presence are considered the most authentic. Thus, what needs to be preserved in the preservation of modern architecture there is likely to be a combination of both design intent and material authenticity with, probably, greater priority placed on the design itself.

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Ariyana Shopping Center combines retail, entertainment, restaurants, and family activities within a uniquely-themed environment . Purpose of Mall Architecture Optimum utilization of available space and good store environment (Ambience & overall looks) gets customers into the mall.

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Inspired by both organic forms and contemporary art galleries, the shopping center is filled with bright natural daylight. Meanwhile, operable windows provide natural ventilation. Rainwater is collected from the roof and extensive landscaping swales in the parking lots process storm water to minimize the impact on the local system. Natural and local materials were used where possible to reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the surrounding community.

Architectural Professional experiences

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Imam-Ali Dental Clinic Naji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Takht e Tavoos St. Tehran,Iran

The concept for the Imam-Ali dental clinic is characterized by its linear building structure and modern functional-cubic buildings. The glazed opening main corridor forms the back-bone of the clinic and serves to distribute the flows of patients and visitors.

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The clinic combines elements of instruction and guidance, teamwork, peer-critiqued, and Master architect review, which allows participants to depart not only with the architecture and design diagrams for their particular system, but also with expertise that would otherwise take years of on-the-job-experience to obtain, covering both architecture and soft skills.

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The framework plan for the new buildings envisages an integrated overall clinic, the so called Imam-Ali ring of clinics within a closely networked complex of buildings, which commenced in 1997. The appearance of the compact new building on a confined building site is made less severe by means of the inner courtyards and the numerous views to the outdoor installations by means of a pond in the new landscape park and the botanical garden in front of the main entrance amongst other things.

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Imam Ali PolyClinic Naji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Abas Abad St. Tehran,Iran

With this new building, the purpose of the design was to create a functionally-oriented extension. The foyer is a large, completely glazed room over several floors, leading to the central departments: patient admission, examination and waiting areas.

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Islamic sciences Reseach centerNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Attar St. - Tehran,Iran

Facades designed as semi-transparent, and solid faces interact between open and close spaces in the complex . Using Iranian-Islamic Elements in semi-transparent facades shows the theory of Iranian architecture in adaption with modern architecture. Rich Iranian traditional architecture was lost, along with our historical architecture identitiy, but born was a new modern architecture. In this era, Tehran urban facades don’t have an Iranian identity. Using these Iranian-Islamic Elements that come from Orosi (Iranian traditional window) help us figure out who were and where we are going to in future.

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Khordad KindergartenNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Vanak Sq. - Tehran,Iran

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Passive Defense Research CenterNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Vanak Sq. - Tehran,Iran

The Passive Defense Research institute of Tehran is the first scientific institute in Iran with the most complete range of design researches and the greatest strength in professional design. It holds certificates in architecture design, urban design, bridge and motorway design, geotechnical design, geological design , landscaping , gardening, in close relationship with passive defense theories that are issued by the State Ministry of Construction of Iran and a certificate in Engineering Consulting issued by the State Planning and Development Committee.

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My strategy was to employ a lightweight building system using materials that could readily be brought from the mainland. The buildings are no higher than four stories and constructed of steel framing with corrugated steel roofing and paneled walls. They therefore merge with the environment rather than dominate it. The design allows indoor and outdoor spaces to flow seamlessly into each other, which epitomizes Guymer Bailey’s philosophy of integrating architecture with the landscape.

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The building has an almost curved-cubical shape . I believe that buildings should be monumental and spiritually inspiring. In my design for the Passive defense researches Institute, I vigorously tried to create a formal display of emotional expressions. My vision included a facility with an inspiring environment for scientific research , and our design decisions created a functional institutional building that also became an architectural masterpiece.

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Police University DormitoryNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Rashid Yasami St. - Tehran,Iran

The dormitory experience-the residence for many students is for a year or two, half of their time in college. Identifying where most of their time and energies are put into must be fully understood to maximize the architectural potentials for the student and the university’s general goals. The alternative is to leave things to chance, to intuition, and to custodial or visual rather than functional concerns.

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The dining common will be a centralized hub for all residents and connected to the other buildings through glass walkways that contribute to the communal vibe of the property. The design aims to promote a balanced educational and social environment.

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Patients Office BuildingNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Rashid Yasami St. - Tehran,Iran

I think that architecture is about designing the high-performance buildings of the everyday, which are environmentally responsible architecture, going beyond strong sustainability guidelines that minimize eco-footprints. In this project tried to use simple local materials and local labor to direct money into the pockets of local workers and local construction trade. Traditional construction skills and fine craftsmanship were integral to the design. All workspaces enjoy an equal level of comfort and view. Each working group is given its own sense of identity and a feeling of belonging to and interacting with a larger community.

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On the other hand, green architecture can be viewed as a main aspect and concept for project which is visualized as green roofs, double layered facades, energizing glasses and solar panels that are fixed on top of the building, generationg self-sustaining electricity for the building and helping to save the environment for future generations.

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Office BuildingsNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Tehran,Iran

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Office BuildingsNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Tehran,Iran

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Malek-e-Ashtar MosqueNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering Co.Tehran,Iran

The word “mosque” originates from the word “Masjid”, meaning the place where people prostrate to God. The mosque represents the heart of Muslim religion and community. As a matter of fact, architecture can be regarded as an expression of culture, giving clues as to who we are and embodying our concerns. Religious buildings may be seen as reflections of spiritual and social concerns and skyscrapers as symbols of corporate power. The mosque is Islam’s most emblematic building. Our focus in the design of the Malek-Ashtar mosque is on the architecture’s expression of identity. The Malek-Ashtar mosque in Tehran formed the prototype to which subsequent Islamic religious buildings adhered-establishing the division in the mosque as well as the principal of axial planning. The mosque is frequently found near an economic activity center which explains that the mosque is never removed from the center of daily life activity. The basic elements of this mosque are: a prayer space, part covered and part open to sky where the worshippers can face mecca, whose orientation is defined by a niche (mihrab) in the qiblah wall. The mosque prayer hall is formed as square and placed on a right angle to the qiblah axis. The success in designing a mosque is measured by the degree of reconciliation of the conflicting axes and by producing equilibrium between the mass and volume.

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Interior DesignsTasvirgaran N. Pars Design Studio.Tehran,Iran

I’ve shifted away from decorative, adorned interiors towards a European aesthetic. My work is about creating beautiful architectural spaces that also lend themselves to being “dressed.” Interiors are becoming less about permanence.

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An interior designer can be involved as much or as little as the client desires and a designer will need to figure out exactly what the client needs. This means organizing rooms, laying tile, picking carpets colors, and finding furniture to complement it all. Sometimes that means we will have to recruit help from other professionals in creating the perfect look.

Architectural Competitions

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Bafkar Cultural and Commercial ComplexNaji S.Amin Consultant Engineering CO.Tehran,Iran

The judging panel for the Bafkar cultural and commercial complex Resort released three architectural designs as part of a design competition for the project proposed for Rajaei Street in Tehran, Iran . The competition was announced in October 2013, with the Organization Order of Building, which has an exclusive in relation to the development of the commercial centers, inviting interested architects to participate in the design competition.

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Artistic Background

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Persepolis Fars,Iran - 2009

Photo By: ajafgholi

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PassargadFars,Iran-2009

Photos By: ajafgholi

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Firouz Abad TempleFars,Iran-2010

Photo By: ajafgholi

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Yazd Jamee MosqueYazd,Iran-2006

Photo By: ajafgholi

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Shoushtar Historical Hydraulic SystemKhoozestan , Iran - 2009

Choghazanbil ZigguratKhoozestan , Iran - 2007

Photos By: ajafgholi

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sketch

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sketch

The success and final outcome of these projects required a lot of guidance and assistance from many people and I am extremely fortunate to have got this all along the completion of my projects and works. Whatever I have done is only due to such guidance and assistance and I would not forget to thank them.

After thanking God for his uncountable blessings, I would like to express profound gratitude to my parents, for their invaluable support, encouragement and supervisions.

I am grateful for the encouragement from my honorable friends who provided me with the neces-sary support and guidance to complete my projects. I would especially like to thank Mr. Masoud Ketabforoushan who helped me with designing and creating this portfolio.

Furthermore, I extend my sincere appreciation to all my professors who have shown the gate of the architecture world to me.

Last but not least, I am thankful and indebted to all those who helped me directly or indirectly in completion of these projects and works.

And finally, I would like to dedicate this work to my wife, Nilo, who without her unlimited love, care and dedication I could not have overcome the hard times of pressure and depression.

Ali R. Najafgholi March 2014