Set within a 40-hectare olive orchard in Minoudasht, northeastern Iran, the Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground by ZAV Architects transforms an agricultural landscape into an immersive play environment where architecture moves with the terrain. Positioned beside the earlier Cheshm Cheran rural complex designed by the studio in 2017, the project continues the architects’ long-standing idea of treating the landscape as an active participant.
The architects worked with an existing metal framework that had originally been used for arboricultural training. This grid became the structural and spatial basis of the design, shaping a looping sequence of raised walkways, suspended platforms, spiral stairs, bridges, and play structures threaded carefully between olive trees. Circular decks appear at different heights, at times hovering within the tree canopy and at others descending close to the ground, creating a constantly shifting relationship between children, landscape, and architecture.
One of the most striking aspects of the project is its vivid visual language. Bright yellow perforated flooring slices through the muted silver-green tones of the orchard, while deep red steel frames outline the elevated circulation paths. Seen from above, the playground resembles a graphic ribbon weaving through the grove; from below, it reads almost like lightweight infrastructure suspended among trees.
The design avoids isolating play into a singular zone. Instead, movement itself becomes the experience. Swings, slides, trampolines, rotating surfaces, mesh railings, and suspended walkways are integrated throughout the circulation system, encouraging children to continuously explore different heights, viewpoints, and textures. The perforated flooring, developed with local craftsmen and regional manufacturers, allows light, air, and shadows from the olive trees to filter through the structure, strengthening the sensory connection to the orchard below.
Constructed using locally available metal profiles shaped through rolling techniques, the playground maintains a lightweight and modular character. Its adaptability allows the structure to curve around existing tree trunks without disrupting the agricultural landscape. Beneath the elevated paths, shaded pockets and gathering spaces create quieter areas for rest and social interaction, extending the playground experience to ground level as well.
The project expands the role of Farsh Farm as a place of cultivation, hospitality, and collective activity. The playground becomes an inhabitable layer within the orchard, one that encourages visitors to engage with the landscape physically through climbing, walking, pausing, and play. In doing so, Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground blurs the line between architecture, landscape infrastructure, and environmental experience.
Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground Details
Project: Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground
Architects: ZAV Architects
Location: Minudasht, Northeastern Iran
Year: 2025
Area: 450 square metres
Lead Architects: Mohamadreza Ghodousi, Fateme Rezaei Fakhr, Golnaz Bahrami
Client: Farsh Farm / Khalil Farshbaf
Image credit: DJI, Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
