Architecture and jewelry share many commonalities, although, at first glance, they may appear to be two entirely separate fields. The most apparent difference is the vast scale of architecture contrasted with the miniature scale of jewelry. This distinction is evident because the “body” often serves as a unit of measurement in the creation of most objects.
In fact, the “body” serves as a common ground between these two disciplines, playing a significant role in their creation. From my perspective, in architecture, with the help of geometry, we think about space, while in jewelry design, with the help of geometry, we think about the body. This shared focal point—the body—connects these two fields.
In 2009, I designed a collection called Distance, inspired by the historical buildings of Iran, and since then, I have been concerned about creating jewelry inspired by contemporary architecture, which has been a persistent focus of my thoughts. Given that Mr. Kamran Diba is a prominent figure in contemporary Iranian architecture and the designer of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the prayer hall of the Carpet Museum of Iran, and the Niavaran Cultural Center, I initiated this project in collaboration with him, incorporating designs inspired by his architectural works.
This project provides an opportunity to reflect contemporary architecture through the medium of jewelry and explore the inherent potentials of these designs in new and innovative ways. The reason for selecting architects for this collaboration lies in the shared elements between architecture and jewelry. Moreover, architecture has significantly influenced our visual perception, with much of our aesthetic sensibility shaped by architectural forms throughout history.
Fortunately, the opportunity to collaborate with Mr. Kamran Diba arose, and together, we designed several pieces of jewelry. Mr. Diba’s approach was interpretive, and we made adaptations inspired by the skylights of the Museum of Contemporary Art and the prayer hall of the Carpet Museum. This process can be regarded as a form of “scaling down,” but it transcends mere reduction; it involves reinterpreting the form with aesthetic considerations in mind and adapting it to the human body within the design process. At Mr. Diba’s suggestion, the groove in the prayer hall that indicates the direction of Qibla has been adjusted in the pendant design so that its orientation aligns with the heart on the wearer’s body. This adjustment was achieved through a 45-degree rotation based on the layout of the prayer hall.
Banafsheh Hemmati
