The Left Wing (A Museological Reconstruction of Queen Palace, Persepolis, Iran)

Persepolis, stands as the sole surviving ruin of one of history’s most powerful civilizations. Despite its monumental significance, it is not afforded the respect or cultural attention it deserves. Following the destructive fire set by Alexander the Great and centuries of abandonment, only a single palace—believed to be the Harem of Xerxes or the Queen’s Palace—has been partially reconstructed for museological purposes. This specific site was chosen for its minimal need for structural restoration. However, this thesis raises a critical question: what if the very absence, fragmentation, and chaotic incompleteness of the ruins could be embraced as an architectural essence rather than a limitation? This research proposes a speculative reconstruction of the unbuilt western wing of the Queen’s Palace. Rather than attempting a literal historical reconstruction, the design adopts the inherent disorder of the remaining footprints and planimetry as conceptual and spatial drivers. The project seeks to establish a new museological flow that integrates absence, memory, and ruin into the visitor experience—highlighting how loss can shape presence, and how incompleteness can become a foundation for contemporary architectural intervention.