Abandoned Frank Lloyd Wright – Tour of Shams Palace, Iran

pearl palace Iran tour
Shams Palace, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Karaj, Iran.

Not so long ago, an architect from California joined one of my Iran tours. We had previously met touring around Chernobyl and Ukraine, and soon discovered our shared architectural tastes. Of course, everything designed by Mike Brady made the list, as did anything featuring the clean lines of mid-century-modern, or the raw beauty of concrete Brutalism – and our conversation was always piqued when the subject featured abandoned structures.

For his Iran tour, the Californian architect extensively curated the local sites, and created an interactive-treasure-map of architectural highlights located all over the country. Whilst devouring his research, clicking on one pin after another, a grainy photo grabbed my attention. Located not far from Tehran, designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Shams Palace appeared like a dream, a surreal amalgamation of everything I wake up and live for – curvaceous, abandoned, concrete.

In the mid-1960’s William Wesley Peters – son-in-law of Frank Lloyd Wright, his protégé, first apprentice, and chief architect of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation – responded to a unique architectural calling. Shams Pahlavi, the older sister of the last Shah of Iran (self-anointed King-of-Kings Mohammad Reza Pahlavi), needed a palace to call her own. The end result is simply magnificent – not only one of Iran’s most outstanding homes, Shams Palace is also an important architectural example for the world at large.

However, in the little-known Iranian city called Karaj (population two million, zero tourists), Frank Lloyd Wright’s figurative fingerprints are disappearing fast. Unfortunately, after recently touring through the abandoned and severely decaying mid-century wonder, I have sadly concluded <leans against the fireplace, gazes out the window, removes smoking pipe from mouth> that Sham’s Palace may be experiencing its final days…

 

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Indoor swimming pool- room, shag-carpet swathed. Shams Palace, Iran.
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Mid-century and abandoned, with Ball Chairs by Eero Aarnio seemingly just as they were left by the poolside. Shams Palace, also known as the Pearl Palace or Morvarid Palace, Karaj, Iran.

Although W.W. Peters exploited the latest in mid-20th-century technology and construction techniques – it’s only after a deep immersion within the historical contexts of Iran that such an astoundingly modern interpretation of centuries of Persian architecture could be revealed. Also known as the Pearl Palace, the elaborate edifice expresses a genuine understanding, and appreciation, of Persian culture and tradition.

For centuries in Iran, there’s been an unbreakable relationship between gardens and buildings. Interwoven with each other, the outdoors and indoors became united in Iran long ago. Visitors to historical Iranian homes will recall the main features of typical estate architecture – traditionally, bedrooms and family rooms open directly onto internal courtyards. Typically, the rectangular courtyards feature manicured gardens, ponds, and open-spaces to work and socialise within the privacy of an extended family unit.

Inspired by this traditional design, Peters decided to create a large, circular, internal garden space, and surround this contemporised courtyard area with various dwelling-rooms. Filled with exotic plantings and ponds, the garden is consolidated with the rooms by an elegant, translucent, domed roof.

Providing grandeur, protection from the elements, and allowing sunlight to penetrate throughout the palace, the intricate dome coerces a graceful ambiance upon those who are fortunate enough to be within. It’s a masterful combination – a layout that charmingly announces a pride in skillfully preserving and modernising the Persian tradition – conceived with state-of-the-art means and materials.

 

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Like a vision from any decent 1970’s architecture magazine – Shams Palace, Iran.
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Concrete brutalist facade of Shams Palace, Karaj, Iran.
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Pearl Palace, former residence of Princess Shams Pahlavi, Iran.

Surrounded by an artificial lake, Shams Palace gently leans against an artificial hill. Plantings wind their way along curving roads, their contours fluidly lead to the main entrance. Once inside, through a relentless harmony of circles and spirals, the interior continually reveals itself as a consequent extension of the outdoors. Floors gently ramp, straight lines are minimised, the sky is everywhere. Shams Palace sits on the boundaries of mid-century architecture – organic, playful, and unequivocally hyper-modern.

Gradually ascending ramps and curved walls enclose a library, banquet hall, dining-rooms, offices, and private rooms. A theater allowed at least ninety guests to attend the frequent events of concerts, dance and films. The private room of the Princess is crowned by a spiral vault – a Ziggurat – the same style of those built throughout Iran and the Middle-East for centuries. Many of the rooms have a view to the inner garden along with the outside view – past the artificial lake and off to the imposing Alborz Mountain range.

Interlocked with the large dome, a smaller dome adjoins and encloses an indoor swimming pool. After descending a transparent acrylic staircase, the pool-room presents an expanse of thick Shag-pile wool carpet, laid right to the edge of the water. Above, the vaulted dome echoes the geometrical design of the main courtyard dome, employing concrete rather than acrylic. Windowed arches surround the pool, providing a connection to the outdoor facilities.

Outside, the facade of Shams Palace continues another Persian tradition – presenting a raw and somewhat brutal facade to the world beyond. Although the curved concrete facade is somewhat attuned to the Persian esthetic of concealing the riches that lay within, a procession of circular glass-disk barricades provide just enough minimalist pizzazz to satisfy the viewer that this was, indeed, the home of royalty.

 

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Bedroom, inside the abandoned palace of an Iranian Princess.
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Bedroom fireplace, Shams Palace, Iran.
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Detail of one of many bathrooms in Shams Palace.

Decades after Shams Palace was abandoned, the remaining plants are scrappy, but surviving. The largest of the two domes has succumbed to the elements – the cathedral-like array of acrylic glass windows has been completely destroyed, leaving only the metal flower-like framing to cover the once lush cascaded internal garden.

At first, a visitor to Shams Palace may wonder how this could have been allowed to happen. However, the architects of the 1960s would have rightfully considered acrylic windows to be relatively temporary, and would not be surprised by their demise. Generally, acrylic structures are considered inexpensive and utilitarian – seen throughout Iran covering the courtyards of traditional homes and hotels, but perhaps this is the only palace in history that employed such a light-weight synthetic material.

Unfortunately, with the disappearance of the main dome, the decay of the remainder of Shams Palace will hasten, as the elements ingress and the building steadily deteriorates. The damage is already major, and massive erosion of the concrete has occurred. Some of the more protected rooms appear almost untouched, incredibly, much of the original furniture remains – 1960’s Finnish Ball Chairs by Eero Aarnio seem to be exactly as they were left by the poolside.

 

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I am without speech.
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Shams Palace is a vision of the future, from the 1960s.

The question may arise, how did the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation come to design a building in Karaj, Iran? Like everything in Iran, the back-story of Shams Palace is fascinating, and it must be said, complex.

In the early part of the 20th century, Persia was not as completely united as Iran is today. Sheikh Khaz’al, a tribal leader, controlled the lands around the South West of the country. These lands, although a declared part of Persia, remained stubbornly beyond central control – and the region contained an enormous quantity of oil that had been discovered by British prospectors.

A contract had been signed with the central Persian authority, giving the British exclusive rights to explore, extract, and profit from the oil resources in much of Iran. However, due to the local control of Sheikh Khaz’al, the British government decided in this case that a special arrangement would be prudent. They provided the Sheikh with weapons, gifted him shares in the newly formed Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later renamed to British Petroleum – BP), and he was knighted by the British monarchy. In return, the Sheikh would use his clout to ensure that the British could take all the oil it wished, uninhibited.

Although the Sheikh was collecting taxes, he paid only a very small amount to the Iranian central government. Becoming ever more wealthy and powerful, the Sheikh became a serious rival to Reza Shah Pahlavi – King of Iran, and the father of Princess Shams.

In large part, thanks to the British withdrawing support for the Sheikh, and instead supporting the father of Princess Shams, King Reza Shah finally conquered the lands of Sheikh Khaz’al. Placed under house arrest, the Sheikh’s assets were transferred to the Imperial Iranian government, and he remained virtually imprisoned under the watchful eye of the Shah for over a decade.

In 1936, an accepted version of history is that the all-powerful Reza Shah directly ordered the assassination of his rival – and Sheikh Khaz’al finally met his death.

Sheikh Khaz’al had a son named Nezam Amery.

At the time of his father’s assassination, Nezam was only ten years old.

Despite the history of his father, or perhaps because of it, Nezam Amery grew up a member of the privileged classes, and had the opportunity to study abroad. He decided upon architecture – and enrolled at Kent State University in Ohio, USA. Nezam Amery became deeply interested in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. A successful student, Nezam was accepted to commence an architectural apprenticeship with the Taliesin Associated Architects – a division of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation – founded by Wright’s protégé and son-in-law William Wesley Peters to continue Wright’s architectural vision.

Returning to Tehran, Amery created an architectural practice, where he became the Middle East Representative of Taliesin. His firm shared joint interests with Taliesin, working on architectural and city planning projects in Iran and Iraq. Upon being awarded the commission for Shams Palace, Nezam Amery invited Taliesin to participate.

Nezam Amery was the indispensable link in the Frank Lloyd Wright/Iran/Shams Palace story – and his father had been assassinated by the father of his client, Princess Shams.

 

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Looking up at the framing of the main internal courtyard dome, Shams Palace, Iran.
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Courtyard, Shams Palace.
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Around the main courtyard, Shams Palace, Iran.
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Near to the pool, a model of Shams Palace.
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Exterior view over the artificial lake that surrounds Shams Palace, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Iran.

click to see an interactive map showing the location of this article

 

In 2003, Shams Palace was finally registered by Iran’s National Heritage Foundation. However, despite being recognised as an important historical monument deserving restoration, since this time the condition of the palace has further declined.

Restoration would now be incredibly expensive – and there is certainly no financial incentive. Iranians would not pay more than a token entrance fee, and foreign tourists in Iran remain few. In 2018 a capitulation of the Rial has occurred, part of the ongoing effects of forty years of economic sanctions that have prevented Iran from fully participating in the international economy. Iran currently has much more to worry about than the restoration of the Pearl Palace – after all, this is just one of an astounding nine-thousand registered historic sites located all over the nation.

For a brief time some years ago Shams Palace was open for tours.

Currently, the palace is off-limits.

Gated and guarded, away from the public eye, the truly visionary interpretation of mid-century-modern Iran slowly returns to dust.

Nate

PS,  due to popular demand, the final two Yomadic Iran Tours  for 2019 have just been launched. All other 2019 tours sold out quickly. I really would like to show you the most fascinating destination on the planet, please don’t forget to bring your camera…

PPS, hello from Shiraz – for sure my favourite city in Iran. For continuity – I’ve now been living from my backpack for 2313 consecutive days, and I’m just getting started. Hope you have a wonderful day, wherever you are.

BTW, I would love to send you the next dispatch, posted from some-where random around this planet (and you'll soon find out why YOMADIC email followers are my favourite followers):

45 thoughts on “Abandoned Frank Lloyd Wright – Tour of Shams Palace, Iran

    1. Two things:
      1) come back
      2) there are sooooo many gems all over Iran, the discovery is never-ending. There is such little information on the internet about Iran, finding everything takes so much time. Even yesterday, I saw something that made me say out-loud “WOW”… post on that one to come, one day.

      1. I would if you do a Northern Iran tour. Life’s too short to be going back to the same places lah :)
        Missing you and P! <3

  1. Absolutely incredible.

    But I would just like to echo Christina L’s comment here Nate. Hmmm?
    Anyway Gill, David and I were wondering when you’ll be doing a Northern Iran tour again?
    All the very best.

  2. What an incredible find Nate. The only thing nicer than mid-century modern is abandoned mid-century modern. I know that’s not entirely true but you know what I mean! Interestingly, it reminds me of some of the abandoned places we’ve seen in Croatia and also Cambodia but, then again, that’s not entirely a surprise as New Khmer Architecture was highly influenced by the Modern Movement.

    I trust all is well with you? Cheers, Mark

    1. Everything is well, a little busier than normal but life is great. I have been meaning to email you, so much to talk about, and I will get to it soon… hello to your lovely lady.

  3. I just came back from Iran. Wish I had known about this! But we were busy every moment seeing wonderful things! I loved the visit!

    1. There is so much to see in Iran – as you well know. I have been working on an article showing a particular style of architecture in Tehran, after ten-plus visits, I’m yet to visit all of the buildings I’m interested in.

  4. Beautiful buildings, but why was my first thought, upon seeing the first image in this article, “Ah, dearest Frank Lloyd Wright, modernist master of roof leaks”?

  5. I visited that place in the 90’s. Then, there were still mostly local tourists visiting, and although a little light on furniture, the building was still very much intact. I cannot believe the state of it now!
    Thanks for the story behind the building Nate; it’s good to know.

  6. I tried to sign up for your e-mails, but it says it’s not enabled. Would love to read more about your tours! I just went to Iran this year, and I definitely need to come back sometime.

  7. Nate,

    When is the traveling rave show begin?! Can see you pulling off that stunt here in this abandoned relic of decadence..

    Stay safe, be well

    Laurence

  8. Nezam Ameri also designed two other buildings inspired by Frank Llyod Wright: Damavand College of Tehran and Money Museum (Defineh Museum).

    1. Wow, this is great info – I have visited the Money Museum, it’s an incredible structure and shows a lot in common with Shams Palace. One of my favourite buildings in Tehran. Thank you so much for leaving the comment!

  9. Dear Nate

    I remember the Palace form my childhood growing up in Tehran. Princess Shams owned vast tracts of land in Karaj, and had a master plan prepared, based on American models, for a suburban town called Mehrshar [City of Love], with mid-sized plots sold to Tehran’s upper-middle class denizens to build weekend getaways. proximity to a royal Palace was an attraction, and tales abounded of the hedonistic soirees held there by Princess Shams.

    As for Nezam Ameri, he also designed a hilltop house for family friends of ours in the Amanieh district of north Tehran: it was a magical place unlike any other house in Tehran, stepped and closely hugging the contours of the landscape, with sweeping overhangs keeping out the hot sun and red-painted full-height glazed doors leading out to continuous terraces that formed the roof of the lower level, all finished in blue-green slate and lacquered hardwood. When I attended architecture school and first came across FLW’s work, it appeared very familiar to me, and it took a little while for me to realise that it reminded me of the Amanieh house, after which my parents told me that it had been designed by Nezam Ameri, and then I found out that he had studied under the great FLW. Unfortunately, under financial strain the owners had it knocked down a few years ago to build a multi-storey apartment block.

  10. Hello,
    Greatly enjoyed the article, and safe travels to you. I may be showing my ignorance – I don’t know an atom about architecture, but I think it is an ugly building. Is anyone in agreement?

    1. Thanks Elaine. As for whether this building is “ugly” or not, well, I’m sure you could even find “experts” who agree with you.

      And, their opinions would also be wrong (joking!)(or am I?)

  11. Still incredible even abandoned for how many years. This article left me speechless. And it’s a mind-blowing how can a certain person was able to design a futuristic architecture like this in 1970’s year. Awesome!

  12. I really love to travel to this stunning country, how can I apply for the Iran visa? is it better to apply for it in advance or on arrival?

  13. Very interesting article and photos, but the historical part has some errors.

    Mohammad Reza Shah was not self-anointed King of Kings. That title existed throughout Iran’s history going back to the Persian Empire and was used by many Iranian monarchs. His sin was that he self-coronated.

    Also, the part on Sheikh Khazal is innacurate. First off, when he was arrested in 1925 (and my grandfather, Megerditch Khan Davidkhanian, who was military governor of Khorramshahr/Muhammarah at the time, and Commander Showkat, were the ones who arrested the sheikh) Reza Khan was Commander in Chief of the Persian Army, not shah (he declared himself shah a few months later). The country was still nominally ruled by the Qajar dynasty at the time. Sheikh Khazal’s son, Sheikh Abdullah, collaborated with Reza Khan and helped in the arrest. After the arrest, Abdullah became Emir of Muhammarah and held that title for four years. Nezam was one of the youngest of 29 children that Sheikh Khazal had from around 20 wives.

    As to the area in the proximity of the palace, an entire modern city has grown out of the desert. Look up Chitgar Lake. It also includes the largest mall in the Middle East and reportedly one of the five largest in the world, Iran Mall, which took millions of dollars to build. Videos of that are also available online. What is lacking is not money, which has never been seen in the country at the current levels, but political will to reconstruct Princess Shams’s palace (it includes a chapel, because she was a Catholic convert, hence the rumors spread by the revolutionaries at the time about hedonistic soirees mentioned in another comment).

    1. Thank you Mr Davidkhanian, for such a personal insight. If you read this comment, I would be interested on your thoughts regarding this: “In 1936, an accepted version of history is that the all-powerful Reza Shah directly ordered the assassination of his rival – and Sheikh Khaz’al finally met his death.”

      Regarding the “self-anointed” King-of-Kings Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, this is a good point. I would like to correct this sentence by adding pertinent information – who actually selected Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to become the monarch? Was it just naturally a result of being part of the Pahlavi dynasty (next in line), was it purely a political/parliamentary decision, was it British influence, or was it due to other decision makers? Of course there is information in the history books about this, but I am eager to dive a little deeper on this decision.

      Indeed, there is enough money in Iran to restore a building of this size. However, in addition to political will, I believe if there were financial incentive (such as with the new mega-mall), or, if the palace was in a location more conducive to visitors, the likelihood of reconstruction would increase. Sadly, this combination of factors weighs strongly against this incredible structure being saved.

      BTW, I have visited Chitgar lake, and driven past the new enormous mall a couple of times (it was still under construction at the time I drove past, but I believe it’s open now), and seen the countless number of new apartment towers. This is certainly a rapidly growing part of Iran.

      Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

  14. hi,
    Reza pahlavi history:

    The Majlis, convening as a constituent assembly, declared him the Shah (King) of Iran on 12 December 1925, pursuant to the Persian Constitution of 1906. Three days later, on 15 December, he took his imperial oath and thus became the first shah of the Pahlavi dynasty. At this time he was 47 years old. Reza Shah’s coronation took place much later, on 25 April 1926. It was at that time that his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was proclaimed crown prince.

    During Reza Shah’s sixteen years of rule, major developments, such as large road construction projects and the Trans-Iranian Railway were built, modern education was introduced and the University of Tehran, the first Iranian university, was established. The government sponsored European education for many Iranian students. The number of modern industrial plants increased 17-fold under Reza Shah (excluding oil installations), and the number of miles of highway increased from 2,000 to 14,000.

    Along with the modernization of the nation, Reza Shah was the ruler during the time of the Women’s Awakening (1936–1941). This movement sought the elimination of the chador from Iranian working society. Supporters held that the veil impeded physical exercise and the ability of women to enter society and contribute to the progress of the nation. This move met opposition from the Mullahs from the religious establishment. The unveiling issue and the Women’s Awakening are linked to the Marriage Law of 1931 and the Second Congress of Eastern Women in Tehran in 1932.

    Reza Shah was the first Iranian Monarch in 1400 years who paid respect to the Jews by praying in the synagogue when visiting the Jewish community of Isfahan; an act that boosted the self-esteem of the Iranian Jews and made Reza Shah their second most respected Iranian leader after Cyrus the Great. Reza Shah’s reforms opened new occupations to Jews and allowed them to leave the ghetto,

    Under Reza Shah’s reign, a number of new concepts were introduced between 1923 and 1941. Some of these significant changes, achievements, concepts and laws included:

    Successful suppression of separatist movements and reunification of Iran under a powerful central government.Foundation of the first judicial system of Iran.Foundation of the first health care system and public hospitals across the country.Reestablishment of Iranian Gendarmerie and Shahrbani in order to enforce the law, limit civil disorder and protect property.Foundation of Trans-Iranian Railway which connected Caspian Sea to Persian Gulf.Nationalizing Iranian forests and jungles.Creation of the modern-day Iranian Army (Iranian Air Force, Iranian Navy, Iranian Ground Forces).Creation of the first Iranian radio.Creation of national Museum of Iran.Rebuilding Iran’s historical sites including Tomb of Ferdowsi and Tomb of Hafez.Organizing the Ferdowsi Millenary Celebrations to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of Ferdowsi’s birth as the savior of Persian language and Iranian identity.Creation of Iran’s Academy of Persian Language and Literature in order to protect Iran’s official language.The first scientific excavations at Persepolis, the ancient capital of the Achaemenid Empire, were carried out by the initiative of Reza Shah. Ernst Herzfeld and Erich Schmidt representing the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago conducted excavations for eight seasons, beginning in 1930, and included other nearby sites.Creation of the Iran’s first national bank known as Bank Melli Iran and other Iranian banks such as Bank Sepah and Keshavarzi Bank.Creation of the first university in Iran which is known as University of Tehran.Transferring and providing full scholarships for the Iranian students to European countries for studying abroad.Eradication of corruption in civil servants, paying wages in time so people did not have to rely on bribes.Creation of the first national school system and schoolbooks in Iran; before Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Islamic madreseh and Quran was the only form of schooling available.Establishment of the first Iranian kindergarten and school for deaf people.Creation of the Iran Scout Organization.Creation of birth certificates and Identification cards for all Iranians.Creation of the first Iranian airplane factory with buying license from Germany.Building the first Iranian airport known as Mehrabad airport.Changing Iranian currency from Toman to Rial.Restoring Persian calendar and making it the official calendar of Iran.Kashf-e hijab (Unveiling). On 8 January 1936, Reza Shah issued a decree banning all veils (headscarf and chador), an edict that was swiftly and forcefully implemented.The government also banned many types of male traditional clothing.In the Western world, Persia (or one of its cognates) was historically the common name for Iran. In 1935, Reza Shah asked foreign delegates to use the term Iran, the historical name of the country, used by its native people, in formal correspondence.Reconstruction of old cities

  15. This is not abandoned Frank Lloyd Wright! It was designed and built after his death by his firm, but he had nothing to do with it. Please change your headline!

  16. There are several mistakes in this article. 1- All Frank Lloyd structures are like this. If you search, you will see that they have built palaces similar to this palace in other countries. Khazal died of an illness, and I have a recommendation for those who are interested in Iran, all the books that are published inside Iran are full of lies and distortions, all the history they tell you in Iran is a lie, please, before going to Iran. Learn the history of Iran by visiting wikipedia website
    thanks

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