A History of Architectural Design in Shahid Beheshti (National) University: The Evolution Phase

The School of Architecture is the second modern school of architecture launched in 1960 after the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran and simultaneous with the founding of Iranian National University. It plays a crucial role in the history of architectural education in Iran.
This paper presents an impartial account of the evolution of the most important course delivered in this school architectural design. Its sources of information include both existing documents and extensive interviews. The first faculty members of the school were architects who had been initially trained in the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran and had subsequently completed their studies in University of
Rome. Their method of architectural education was mainly based on the Parisian Beaux Arts method adjusted to the National University system. From its third year of operation, the architectural design methodology was subject to drastic modifications by new professors who gradually joined the faculty. By the end of 1960s, a new architectural education program was established giving the School its individual character and marking the end of its evolution phase.