ZAV architects weaves a modular yellow playground through an olive orchard in iran
a playground among the olive trees
Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground by ZAV Architects winds through a vast olive orchard in Minoudasht, north-eastern Iran. Set beside the Cheshm Cheran building, a rural complex the studio completed in 2017 for visitor stays and collective farm activity, the playground extends the project into the orchard through a raised network of platforms, bridges, stairs, and play elements.
Bright yellow flooring cuts through the silver-green trees, while deep red steel frames trace curved routes across the grove. The structure moves around trunks, rises into the canopy, and drops back toward the ground, keeping the orchard present from every angle.
the playground threads through a vast olive orchard in Iran. image © DJI
an agricultural grid becomes architecture
The team at ZAV Architects built the playground from an existing metal grid once used for arboricultural training. Fixed tree positions, farm use, and the grid’s geometry shaped the plan, giving the project its distinctive rhythm.
Circular platforms sit at varied heights, some suspended from the framework and others supported below. Together, they form a continuous route that spirals through the trees and climbs toward the main building. The playground becomes part walkway, part viewing deck, and part climbing structure.
The perforated plastic flooring was developed with local craftsmen and regional manufacturers. Its open surface lets air, light, and shadow pass through, strengthening the connection between deck, tree canopy, and ground.
Slides, swings, trampolines, and rotating surfaces appear along the route. Children move between circular platforms, mesh railings, spiral stairs, and suspended walkways, with each play element worked into the larger circulation.
ZAV Architects built the project from an existing agricultural metal grid. image © DJI
lightweight structure, vivid presence
The playground uses locally available metal profiles shaped through rolling techniques. This gives the platforms their rounded edges and keeps the system lightweight and modular. Red steel outlines the structure, while yellow decking makes the route easy to read from above and within the grove.
Seen from below, the project has a clear infrastructural character. Columns, beams, stairs, and circular decks create shaded pockets beneath the elevated paths, where hanging seats and gathering areas extend play to the ground level.
Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground expands Farsh Farm’s role as a place for cultivation, accommodation, and shared activity. It gives children and visitors a direct way to inhabit the orchard through movement, height, and touch.
circular platforms rise and curve around the trees. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
yellow perforated flooring brings a bright, graphic path through the grove. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
red steel railings frame the route while keeping views open. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
the raised structure connects the ground and canopy. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
local metal profiles and regional plastic flooring shape the modular system. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
slides, swings, trampolines, and rotating surfaces are built in. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
project info:
name: Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground
architect: ZAV Architects | @zavarchitects
location: Minudasht, Iran
lead architects: Mohamadreza Ghodousi, Fateme Rezaei Fakhr, Golnaz Bahrami
design team: Sheila Ehsaei, Soroush Majidi, Payman Barkhordari, Mahsa Fa’al, Somayeh Saeidi, Matin Boroumand
completion: 2025
photography: © DJI, © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography
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