15th Bita Prize for Persian Arts: Hossein Amanat
Dr. Hossein Amanat received the 15th Bita Prize for Persian Arts on October 4, 2025.
Hossein Amanat established his international reputation in 1966 when, as a recent graduate, he won a nationwide competition to design the Shahyad (now Azadi) Monument in Tehran—an architectural icon that has since become a symbol of modern Iran. This early success led to a series of prestigious commissions, including some of the most acclaimed modern buildings in Iran: the Persian Heritage Centre; the School of Management at the University of Tehran; the Aryamehr (now Sharif) University of Technology; the Iranian Embassy in Beijing—regarded as one of the architectural highlights of the city's diplomatic quarter—and the planning of Darya Kenar, a new town on the Caspian Sea.
Born in Iran in 1942, it was remarkable that such a young architect was entrusted with projects of this scale and importance. Even more significant is Amanat’s distinctive design philosophy: among the first Iranian architects to harmonize contemporary architectural principles with the rich legacy of traditional Persian design. At a time when Western cultural and artistic influence was dominant in Iran—and when many architects were following the International Style—Amanat was pioneering an original synthesis of modernity and tradition.
Read more about the 15th Bita Prize event
Photo credit: Nadim Badiee
