Iran courts controversy with London embassy

Iran's new embassy in London's exclusive South Kensington area.

Residents of a wealthy London suburb have appealed for Prince Charles' help to prevent a bold new design for Iran's embassy from going ahead.

Just weeks after the intervention of the English heir to the throne scuppered plans for the Chelsea Barracks site - due to be developed by Qatari Diar - the Prince is being asked to wade into the debate surrounding Iranian architect Armin Hohsen Daneshgar's designs for Iran's new embassy building.

Outraged residents in the privileged urban area have been backed by the National Trust, whose chairman, Sir Simon Jenkins, said: “It is inappropriate to locate a strident, modern building in such a sensitive conservation area, next to a magnificent listed church.”

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Daneshgar, who is based in Venice but hails from Iran, has defended his six-storey marble and stone structure, which will act both as an embassy and a cultural centre.

“I believe the problem is not with the design of the building but more probably with the function of it being used as an Embassy. If we copy the same form of existing buildings at the Queen’s Gate, the problem will continue to exist," he said.

Others feel that the residents are quite right to object that the building does not fit in with the rest of the streetscape. Sirus Taghan, an Iranian architect based in London, told World Architecture News: "I think it is typical of the authorities for not employing a UK based firm to design a more relevant scheme. They could have designed a more controversial scheme by relating it to the embassy's origin. It is not a suitable design for an embassy and this particular location."

With Prince Charles’ successful hand in the jettisoning of the Chelsea Barracks redevelopment project, local residents have reportedly penned a letter begging for his assistance with their architectural predicament. The Prince of Wales is said to be awaiting the letter before commenting on the matter.