We did not set out to build a 12-sided house but are very glad to have one. The idea was to take advantage of the 360 view of the garden and woodlands. The driving theme was to integrate the house and the garden together and to have elements of Persian architecture, especially arches and a gradual transition from indoors to outdoors. As the architects experimented with approaches to incorporate the desired flow through the house and the integration with the garden, the 12-sided (do-decagon) house took shape. The two-story house has large, almost floor-to-ceiling windows in every room. The arched windows of the second floor sit atop the French doors of the first floor and define a tall archway reminiscent of Persian architecture. The pie shape of each room, extending outward, enhances the feeling of expansion and outreach to the outdoors. The color scheme starts with yellow at the center of the house, enhancing the feeling of light pouring in, then blends into shades of green as the outer perimeter is reached, and one can step outdoors through the French doors.
The Washingtonian magazine featured the house in an article in 2009 after visiting and interviewing Shahla, Jim and Moji Baratloo, Shahla’s cousin and one of the architects.
Ferdows Foundation, Inc. 