The aim of this project was to challenge the old dichotomy of form and function and to reconcile presentation with representation. Rather than using a prefabricated architectural style, the project would have derived inspiration from its urban surroundings, the building process and the culture of the music in the city of Mashad itself.

The combination of several facilities in a single building would have been certain to create potential clashes in terms of access and schedule, with no apparent benefit other than maximising its skyline presence through sheer bulk.

Given the structure of the surrounding fabric, it would not have seemed reasonable to turn it into a single monumental space. Breaking the mass into two volumes not only would have made more efficient use of the ground, but it would also have arranged the public space into a series of interconnected plazas able to respond to the multiple facets of an urban setting.