Tehran – Tehran has commissioned an urban park designed for the deaf and hard of hearing community. With Silk Tree Park, the capital of Iran wanted to provide a safe and comfortable urban environment. The park focuses on aspects such as circular seating spaces, optimum contrast between light and shade, and flat surfaces.

The innovative Silk Tree Park project began with research led by Iranian architect Raha Ashrafi at Tehran’s Urban Innovation Center. A few months later, Ashrafi’s design practice Ashrafi & Zad was commissioned to design a safe and comfortable urban environment for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. 

According to an article in ArchDaily, the core design strategies for the park include circular seating spaces ranging in radius from 2.80 meters to 5.50 meters – an ideal distance to facilitate deaf visual dialogue, says the article. To further improve safety and comfort, there are entrances facing walkways, as well as lots of greenery to prevent accidental approaches from an angle that is not visible to hard of hearing individuals. 

Because strong light and shadow can prevent visual legibility, the park also features lightweight curved parasols to minimize visual obstructions and provide optimal contrast. Silk Tree Park covers a single flat surface area and also has spaces for sports, skating and bike riding. It is designed to appeal to all ages and a range of physical abilities. 

The is the first public domain area in Tehran designed in accordance with spatial guidelines for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. It is part of a larger initiative to create more public spaces suitable for all physical abilities.