Not only an active and successful architect, Jahangir Banayan was one of the philanthropists of the Jewish community and was always considered a prominent and benevolent figure in cultural and social affairs. Jahangir Banayan was born in 1914 (1293 Solar Hijri) in a religious Jewish family in Tehran (Sarchal neighborhood) at the time of Ahmad Shah Qajar’s coronation. His father, Master Aziz Mimar, was one of the few Jews who had had fruitful and remarkable activity in architecture. Several of his remaining ancient buildings in the south of Tehran have been registered and protected by Iran’s Organization of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism due to their beautiful facades and unique architectural style.
Jahangir completed his elementary education at Noor-e-Sedaghat School and his secondary education at Shahpour and Tadayyon High Schools. He spent most of his time during high school under his father’s supervision, learning architectural design and drawing. Later, he started collaborating with experienced engineers, especially foreign engineers who worked with Master Aziz, and gained even more experience from them. His talent in drawing led to his employment as a drafter and engineering assistant at the Ministry of Interior before graduating from high school.
Without wasting time, he established an engineering office for drafting on Lalehzar Street and officially engaged in preparing maps and construction-related matters. He was determined to study architecture scientifically, but since there were no facilities for higher education in Iran, he decided to go to France for further studies. But that was not possible for him. Instead, he took a friend’s suggestion and wrote a letter to Reza Shah, describing the importance of establishing an architecture school in Iran. At the same time, the University of Tehran was on the verge of being established, which motivated Reza Shah to issue an immediate order to establish the Faculty of Architecture and appoint Jahangir as the person in charge of procurement and establishment of the school. Interestingly, Jahangir Banayan became Tehran University’s first graduate in the field of engineering and architecture in 1944 (1323 AH).
His first cultural and social activities happened in the Ghowl-e-Naim group under the supervision of Abdullah Khan Khoramian and Suleiman Hayyim. He was also one of the founders of the Korosh football team. As a student, he participated in the Youth Club along with Dr. Sapir in assisting those afflicted with typhoid in the Oudlajan neighborhood.
Later on, the Youth Club underwent a name change to the Charity Club, and one of its notable accomplishments was the establishment of Dr. Sapir Hospital. Following the establishment of the Jewish Society, Mr. Banayan actively participated in both the Charity Club and the Jewish Society, serving as their liaison. Subsequently, upon the unfortunate demise of Dr. Ruhollah Sapir, the responsibility of the Charity Club was entrusted to him.
In 1947 (1326 SH), Jahangir married Mrs. Ehteram from the Abir family, a union that resulted in two sons and one daughter. Their eldest son, Mr. Aziz Banayan, graduated from Harvard University and — like his father and grandfather — pursued a career in architecture, achieving notable successes in this field.
In 1957 (1336 SH), Jahangir traveled to the United States to study and research high-rise building construction. After a year of research and study in New York, he returned to his homeland and embarked on the construction of Tehran’s first skyscraper through a contractual agreement.
In 1949 (1328 SH), the Jewish Society of Tehran entrusted Jahangir Banayan with constructing one of the largest educational and cultural complexes for Jews in the Middle East. The project, supervised and financially supported by the World ORT Organization, was established on a land area of six thousand square meters belonging to the Jewish cemetery in Mazandaran Street. Simultaneously, to accommodate Jewish immigrants — including those from Russia and Iraq — contracts were awarded for building well-equipped camps with spacious halls in the eastern section of the ORT building.
Following the successful completion of the ORT building complex project in Tehran, Mr. Banayan was approached by the Jewish communities in Isfahan and Shiraz to undertake similar contracts for establishing ORT facilities in those cities.
With relentless effort, Jahangir Banayan — the first graduate in the field of architecture from the University of Tehran — achieved remarkable success in his professional career over a span of more than 35 years. He is also known as one of the pioneers of high-rise buildings in Iran and has undertaken numerous urban development projects, including industrial factories, tall commercial and residential buildings, cinemas, schools, and religious-cultural centers (mosques and synagogues), contributing significantly to urban development, especially the beautification of Tehran. Another one of his honorable activities is a research thesis on the construction of Persepolis, which, after years of study and research, presents innovative perspectives on this historical structure and symbol of Iran’s grandeur.
Mr. Banayan dedicated a significant portion of his construction company’s work to the Jewish Society alongside his professional activities from the start. As a member of the Jewish Society and a philanthropist, he was recognized as an active figure in the community.
In 1981, he immigrated to the United States and initially resided in Boston with his eldest son, Aziz Banayan. He moved to Los Angeles after three years. During his leisure time and retirement in exile, he devoted himself to writing articles for Persian-language magazines in America. Starting from 1990, he began collecting and writing his memoirs spanning half a century to publish them as a book titled “From Sarchal to Beverly Hills”.
In addition to his cultural and social activities, Mr. Jahangir Benayan provided several scholarships to deserving Iranian students. He passed away on December 2008 at the age of 94.
Some of his notable construction activities in collaboration with the Jewish Society include:
Design and construction of the Jewish Society building in Tehran
Construction of the Korosh High School
Design and construction of the Elderly Care Center for Jews
Construction of all Outser Hatoura (i.e. Treasure of Knowledge) schools, a school in Tarasht intersection in Gorgan, and the Heshmat School
Construction of Abrishami School and Synagogue
Construction of the Ruheshad School and Synagogue
Construction of the Darvazeh Shemiran Synagogue
in addition to many other Jewish cultural centers in other cities.