IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)
Abstract
This paper examines the Royal Tehran Hilton – an international branch of the American famous Hilton Hotel established in 1944 – as a central landmark in the dissemination of modern architecture in Iran, arguing that the hotel was not simply an imported structure, but acted as a catalyst for a dynamic process that reshaped both Tehran’s urban form and architectural culture. Designed in the late 1960s and opened to public in 1962, Royal Tehran Hilton emerged from the intersection of 1) American Cold War ideology to impose a version of American Cold War modernism to Iran, and 2) Iranian ruler’s (Mohammad Reza Shah, 1941-1979) ambition to present Tehran as a modern, globally connected city, comparable to those in the developed world. The hotel’s strategic site, located in northern Tehran, reliance on imported building systems from the West, and integration into new road and service networks helped redefine the city’s spatial hierarchy and facilitated the emergence of high-rise buildings and modern lifestyle. Through analysis of the design process, mediation between Iranian modern design approaches and Hilton’s corporate standards, and the hotel’s lasting influence on later buildings and lifestyles, the paper avoids treating the hotel as a static object. Instead, it positions the Royal Tehran Hilton as a living heritage: a building whose design, construction, and its later urban impacts collectively contributed to the conceptualisation of a new modern identity for the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Mohammad Sheykhi Eilanlou is a PhD candidate at Griffith University’s School of Engineering and Built Environment. His research investigates the architectural evolution of the Royal Tehran Hilton, focusing on the intersection of Cold War modernization and sustainable construction materials. He has published widely on modernism in Iranian architecture and continues to explore how global design standards and innovative materials shape future hospitality environments.
Dr Peyman Akhgar is a Lecturer in Architecture at the School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University. He also serves as Treasurer of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand (SAHANZ). He is leading scholar in Global South architecture and modernism, with a particular focus on Iran. His book, Mohsen Foroughi: The Architect as Government Agent (Bloomsbury Publishing), represents a landmark study of a non-Euro-American architect and contributes to expanding the global discourse on architectural history. His research has appeared in prominent journals, including the Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians and the Journal of Architecture.
Professor Hassan Karampour is a Chartered Professional Structural Engineer (FIEAust, CPEng [Aust/NZ], RPEQ, RPEV) specialising in advanced structural analysis, vibration engineering, engineered timber systems, and offshore/marine structures. He provides the industry with high-level expertise in structural design, verification, modelling, optimisation, and large-scale experimental testing. With over 20 years of industry and academic experience, he delivers solutions for complex engineering challenges involving floor dynamics, vibration serviceability, sports flooring performance, structural optimisation, lightweight construction, and HDPE-based offshore systems.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Tuesday 7th July, 2026