BEHZAD ATABAKI founded “BONNARQ ARCHITECTS” which formerly known as “BEHZAD ATABAKI STUDIO” in  1999. Since  2014, with the growth of the company and joining of Parshia Qaregozloo as a co-founder, the firm has been renamed to “BONNARQ ARCHITECTS”. Winning the first prize in the competition, together with Parshia Qaregozloo, he has been the co-curator of the Iran Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale  2016. In  2019 he has won “ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR” at Middle East Architect Awards. Believing in the multidisciplinary approach to architecture and urbanism, Behzad Atabaki has earned three master’s degrees in three interrelated fields of “architecture”  (1998), “urban design”  (2002) as well as “landscape architecture”  (2006). From  2010, he has been teaching “architecture design” regularly at university.

A number of his works have been awarded and honored in domestic and international architecture and urban design competitions, such as World Architecture Awards (WAF), A+Awards (Architizer), Middle East Architect Awards. In  2007 he has been nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, also in this year he visited Japan to participate in the fellowship program – as the individual Iranian representative – for the Japan Foundation Intellectual Exchange  2007-2008, surveying the Japanese contemporary architecture.

His works of art and architecture has been exhibited in a number of exhibitions and also has been published in several domestic and international books, websites and magazines.

EDUCATION

 •  Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture  2002- 2006 Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

 •  Master’s Degree in Urban Design  1998-2002 Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.

 •  Master’s Degree in Architecture  1991-1998 Azad University, Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

•  A member of Iranian Architects Society.

•  A member of Iranian construction engineers’ organization, Tehran province.

•  Ministry of road and urban development, license for practicing architectural design.  

HONORS AND AWARDS

•  2024 Honorable mentioned, Architecture competition for “Arak Knowledge-Based Enterprise”, Arak, Iran.

•  2021 “Chahargah House” has been Nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture; (cycle  2021-2023), Mosha, Tehran, Iran.

•  2020 Honorable mentioned, Architecture competition for “Tehran Science Museum”, Tehran, Iran.

•  2019 “Behzad Atabaki” won “Architect of the Year”, Middle East Architect Awards, Dubai, UAE.

•  2019 Honorable mentioned, Design competition for the regeneration of an urban corridor, Planning and Designing the ground level of Tehran-Tabriz Railway Tunnel.

•  2019 A member of the jury, Patternitecture II Event (Art & Architecture competition & exhibition), Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran.

•  2019 A member of the jury, Innovative Ideas for Startups, competition, Tehran, Iran.

•  2018 Shortlisted, Middle East Architects Awards; Commercial Building of the Year, Dubai, UAE.

•  2018 Shortlisted, Middle East Architects Awards; Architect of the Year, Dubai, UAE.

•  2018 Behzad Atabaki Studio – Selected as Architectural Firm of the Year, BUILD Awards.

•  2018 Behzad Atabaki Studio – Selected as the Most Innovative Architecture Company, INTERNATIONAL FINANCE.

•  2018 2nd place winner, A competition for connecting “Chitgar” park to “Chitgar” lake, Tehran, Iran.

•  2018 selected as one of 50 influential architects from the Middle East Architects, MEA’s Who’s Who.

•  2017 Shortlisted, World Architecture Festival (WAF), Berlin, Germany.

•  2017 Invited artist, Reflextreme artwork at Patternitecture I event, Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran.

•  2017 Shortlisted, Middle East Architects Awards; Architect of the Year, Dubai, UAE.

•  2017 First place winner, Kish Residential Tower competition, Kish Island, Iran.

•  2016 Elected as the curator of the Iran National Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2016.

•  2016 First place winner, Iran National Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale competition.

•  2015 Shortlisted, Middle East Architects Awards; Boutique Firm of the Year, Dubai, UAE.

•  2015 Participating in Venice Biennale 2015 – Iran Architecture Pavilion, Venice, Italy.

•  2015 Selected project, Exhibition of Iranian Contemporary Architecture in Rome, Italy.

•  2015 Special mentioned, Niayesh Office Building, Architizer A+Awards.

•  2014 Shortlisted, Middle East Architects Awards, Commercial Building of the Year, Dubai, UAE.

•  2014 Honorable mentioned, Lighting Design Competition, Tehran, Iran.

•  2013 Shortlisted, Public Buildings, Memar Award, Tehran, Iran.

•  2007 Fellowship Program for Intellectual Exchange 2007-2008, Tokyo, Japan.

•  2007 Nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture; tenth cycle (2005-2007), Dena Cassette Building, Tehran, Iran.

•  2005 Honorable mentioned, Tehran Book Garden (competition), Tehran, Iran.

•  1999 2nd place winner, Insurance office, 2nd Building (competition), Abadeh, Iran.

•  1995 Honorable mentioned, A New Façade for Hilton Hotel (competition), Tehran, Iran.

PARSHIA QAREGOZLOO, Tehran, Iran

 PARSHIA QAREGOZLOO graduated from Azad University, Tehran Central Branch with a master of architecture in 1999. After graduation, she gained valuable experiences in several reputable architecture and urban design offices. From 2006 to 2014 she managed her own architecture firm “Faragard Architects”, since 2014, with the growth of the company and joining to “Behzad Atabaki Studio” as a co-founder, the firm has been renamed to “BONNARQ ARCHITECTS”, which is recognized for its works in architecture, urban design, art and landscape architecture.

She has abundant experience in architecture design, studies and project management, urban studies, landscape design and interior design. Winning the first prize in the competition, together with Behzad Atabaki, she has been the co-curator of the Iran Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2016. 

A number of her works have been awarded and honored in domestic and international architecture and urban design competitions. In addition to her professional activities, she is also a university lecturer.

Lecturing, studies, and Architecture discourses

•  Lecturer at Pars University of Architecture and Art (2023).

•  Lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Azad University, Central Tehran Branch (since 2013).

•  Lecturer at Azad University, Rudehen Branch (2012-2013).

•  Lecturer at Azad University, Robat Karim Branch (2009-2012).

•  Director of the “Proposals for Tehran” competitions (Tehran Institute, Metropolitan Studies), (2013-2016).

•  Director of Tehran Festival (2014).

•  Member of the Strategic Committee of Architectural Discourses in Tehran Institute (2014-2015).

•  Member of the scientific committee for selecting the architecture works in the Iranian Architects Society, architecture department of Venice Biennial (2015).

•  Member of strategic committee for the First Tehran Architecture Biennial (2016).

•  Director of the “The City After Petroleum” discourses, House of Discourses on Architecture and City (2016).

•  Curator of “Mosallas program II – Being Contemporary, from Theory to Practice”  (2016).

 Professional Memberships

•  Secretary board of the Iranian Architects Society (2014-2017).

•  Board of directors and executive director of Tehran Institute, Metropolitan Studies (since 2014).

•  Architecture and Urban Design Committee member of Tehran City Council (since 2017).

Awards and honors

•  2024 Honorable mentioned, Architecture competition for “Arak Knowledge-Based Enterprise”, Arak, Iran.

•  2021 “Chahargah House” has been Nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture; (cycle 2021-2023), Mosha, Tehran, Iran.

•  2021 A member of the jury, Knowledge Gate of Isfahan competition.

•  2020 Honorable mentioned, Architecture competition for “Tehran Science Museum”, Tehran, Iran.

•  2019 Honorable mentioned, Design competition for the regeneration of an urban corridor, Planning and Designing the ground level of Tehran-Tabriz Railway Tunnel.

•  2018 2nd place winner, A competition for connecting “Chitgar” park to “Chitgar” lake, Tehran, Iran.

•  2018 Director of the competition for designing the Mosque and Urban Square for Golshahr, Karaj.

•  2017 Judge Position at the competition “Ideas for Imam Khomeini Airport.

•  2017 Finalist in the house (villa) design section, World Architecture Festival (WAF).

•  2017 First place winner, Kish Residential Tower competition, Kish Island, Iran.

•  2017 Parshia Qaregozloo, as curator of “Architect’s Signature” exhibition in Shirin Gallery, Tehran, Iran.

•  2016 Elected as the curator of the Iran National Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2016.

•  2016 First place winner, Iran National Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale competition.

•  2010 Honorable mentioned, Design competition for the Persian Gulf Memorial.

•  1997 Shortlisted, Azadi Cinema competition.