An Interview With Second Winner Of Tiny House 2024 Architecture Competition - Arash Madani, Elaheh Ashoori & Fatemeh Zarini
Winners Interviews
14 Oct 2025
We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you with "Arash Madani, Elaheh Ashoori & Fatemeh Zarini", from Iran - Second Winner of Tiny House 2024 Architecture Competition. They are an interdisciplinary design-research collective working at the intersection of residential architecture, anthropology, and emerging technologies.
They believe in creating architecture that is adaptive, sensitive to place, and emotionally resonant.
Come and take a look at what the Second Winner of Tiny House 2024 Architecture Competition - "Arash Madani, Elaheh Ashoori & Fatemeh Zarini" with their proposal "Water Hunter" have to say about their experience and journey throughout the competition. For the purpose of this interview they would be referred as AEF to responses, however Volume Zero referred as VZ.
VZ- How would you introduce yourself / Team /Firm?
AEF- we are an interdisciplinary design-research collective working at the intersection of residential architecture, anthropology, and emerging technologies. Our approach centers on integrating cultural narratives with resilient design strategies in response to environmental and climatic challenges, while creating human-centered and meaningful spaces.
Rooted in local contexts and guided by a global outlook, we view architecture not merely as a process of construction, but as a tool for addressing the human psyche, spatial experience, and the environment—an architecture that resonates with the inner self while responding to the realities of its surrounding context.
VZ- Give us brief information of your previous projects/ works/ research/achievements?
AEF- Our recent projects explore diverse forms of dwelling—from personalized villas based on lifestyle and psychology, to conceptual houses for artists and eco-cultural retreats for nomadic communities. We focus on the spatial relationship between mind, body, and environment, integrating insights from architecture, anthropology, and art. Notably, our "Corner Villa" project received multiple national and international design awards for its highly personalized approach to housing.
VZ- What was your thought process while designing for The Tiny House Architecture Competition 2024?
AEF- we have long envisioned a small-scale, mobile house capable of addressing essential human needs—especially access to water—in the face of future climate crises. Inspired by the drying HAMUN Lake and the resilient lifestyle of local nomads, we designed a forward-thinking shelter that harvests atmospheric moisture and transforms it into drinkable water. Beyond meeting vital needs, the project seeks to preserve a disappearing ecological and cultural way of life. By reinterpreting traditional nomadic tents and enhancing their performance, the design offers a sustainable, culturally rooted, and contemporary housing model aligned with the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.
VZ- What attracted you to this competition?
AEF- The Tiny House 2024 competition encouraged small-scale architecture with large-scale impact. The brief aligned with our vision: addressing environmental extremes through compact, smart, and mobile solutions. It allowed us to speculate, reflect, and respond to contemporary crises while remaining rooted in local culture and material storytelling.
VZ- What design fundamentals do you believe in?
AEF- We believe in creating architecture that is adaptive, sensitive to place, and emotionally resonant. Our work is guided by three fundamentals: human-centered thinking, ecological awareness, and the ability of architecture to act as a cultural vessel. We prioritize modularity, sensory intelligence, and cross-disciplinary dialogue between design and other fields such as psychology, anthropology, and the arts.
VZ- What according to you is the key to making your design a success?
AEF- Empathy and clarity of vision were central to our approach. Throughout the design process, we remained committed to the project’s core narrative: honoring local culture, responding to climate crises, and integrating technologies that genuinely serve human needs. We believe that the balance between cultural and climatic context on one hand, and technical feasibility on the other, was the key factor behind the success of our proposal.
"Step into the future of design—be part of our new architecture competition and showcase your vision to a global audience."
Upcoming Deadlines
Tiny House 2025
Architecture Competition
Early Bird Deadline - 05 Dec 2025
Standard Registration Deadline - 16 Jan 2026
Submission - 23 Jan 2026
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