ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

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Design Approach 

The project area is located on the artery that connects Kayseri city center to Talas on the northwest-southeast axis, within the urban green texture that is being organized and in a position that faces Erciyes Mountain in the south.

Considering the topographic structure of the urban park area where the project will be implemented, care was taken not to highlight the units to be built as closed areas, and the emphasis of the program on open - semi-open areas was tried to be increased. The main elements of the program, Mimar Sinan Museum and Architecture Center, were separated from the park floor by raising them and partially emptied, thus ensuring the uninterrupted continuity of the visual relationship within the green texture. On the other hand, the facades of the 'Cafeteria and Museum Outlet' located at the ground level, within the park circulation and open to direct access by users, were made transparent and the visual continuity on the ground was supported.

Design Approach 

The scope of the design proposal, Taksim Square and Gezi Park, facilitates a heavy utilization of human with their centric urban location. In daily practice of living, while the city squares produce noise pollution the green spaces generate tranquility and peace. 

In this context, by lowering the elevation of the base area with respect to the square and its immediate surroundings, it is aimed to distance and protect the park from the outlying building density and noise producing points.

On the other hand, viewing points commanding Gezi Park were enabled by lowering the elevation of the soil mass in front of the Taksim Square. The focal point of the approach in the Proposal is to invigorate a visional and spatial continuity in the whole area. Additionally, the elevation difference created within the Gezi Park allows various utilization possibilities and enables the park to synchronize with the urban infrastructure. 

Design Approach

Our study focused on four main points: 

1.Respect for the geographic and human environment.

2.Local cultural heritage and its symbols.

3.Combining different functions of the facility.

4.The creation of contemporary spaces and practical issues involved in resolving these.

Site:First priority, was that the new facility respects the landscape, taking into account the valley and surrounding countryside in order to formulate unified composition.

It was necessary to control the slope of the land by forming stepped surfaces. Each plane embodies functional areas in order to requirements.

Settlemet: The proposed design consists of three main levels; the upper one (Building 1) two storeys “Dental Clinic and  Training Institute” engages with the outdoor main entrance area and includes the reception and dental services. In the requirements, areas ask to be solved on the first floor are solved at the lower elevation with terrace areas, taking into account the slope of the land. The middle one (Building 3) embodies “Lodging Units”. The lower one (Building 2) contains “Warehouse” including truck ramp access from north-west boundary of the site.

Differentiation between the levels “Building 1-3”, gives the upper one a favorable north-west view and exposure to the sun. The levels except "Building 2” are connected by a corridor beneath the total body.

Form:The traditional architectural culture and forms are considered as indispensable visual source for our proposal. Local vernacular buildings were the starting point. We decompose traditional architecture into contemporary elements, either at level of facades by cone shaped structures or circular plan types by terraced ground.

Environmental Control: Cone shaped, round house roof skylights ensures solar heating in winter and contributes natural ventilation in summer. Raw concrete slabs anchored in the cone shaped structure contains offices and clinic areas which provides sheltered outdoor patios under it.

Design Approach

In the design of the ITU Faculty of Management Building, it has been our primary responsibility to develop, sustain and reflect the urban identity. It is aimed to embody the structural propositions that will enable the building to take place in the memory of the city. It has been our aim to construct the building with a priority that supports the building to be an attraction, gathering and learning space open to educational uses, while emphasizing urban values ​​and urban space.

In addition to this micro-scale integration with the building and nature, a contemporary structural formation that can contribute to the environment, direct the environmental regulations in the future, and help the environmental aesthetics has been aimed, and the structural solutions have been handled in a way that supports this behavior.

In the mass composition of the faculty structure, the formation of a function-oriented linear form compatible with the program directory has been proposed.

Design Approach

By providing some opportunities to contribute to their houses or urban areas , the habitants would develop their camp – and accordingly they feel belonged to their environment. By building and developing the camp they would constitute a collective memory about the place. The future of the camp and their house depends on the habitant’s effort and additive within the given guides. The future camp will become a place, where they can call “home”. 

While reimagining the future camp self sufficiency and independency on the host country and the non-renewable energy sources are applied as the keystone of the design. To minimise the interventions and contribution from outside of the camp, energy needs and dependency are reduced by applying some passive design strategies, using renewable energy and initiating production inside the camp.,

Rain water collectors: Canopies in the marketplace area and community spaces are designed in order to collect rain water, which can be stored and used for garden irrigation. Tensile material is made from used tent fabric.

Renewable energy farms: Wind turbines and PV panels are located in the surroundings of the camp site. According to annual prevailing wind direction from South – Southeast wind turbines are placed in the same direction without any obstruction. 

Waste to energy: Instead of burying , the rubbish waste to energy centre are included to the future camp in order to produce electricity and hot water. The collected waste material from blocks is transported to that centre . By burning it steam occurs and turns turbines, which generates electricity.

Living unit: After analysing the problems and conditions of existing units in the camps, overheating is biggest risk for a healthy unit. Supplying efficient natural ventilation was the main concern in our design. To decrease the need to air conditioning windows are placed by considering the air movement and to allow cross ventilation. Apart from that cavity wall system will help to keep the unit cooler. Façade from local stone prevents overheating in comparison with metal materials thanks to thermal mass and also decreases the construction cost by minimising the transportation costs. PV Panels on the roof generate modest amount of electricity. Adjustable shading systems could be used to shade the unit and to provide some privacy. 

Multi-use auditorium design in a volume of 9 m height in a 400m2 area within the HAYY  Creative Hub contemporary art center in Jeddah.

Boulder: “A large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion.”

Qasr Al-Farid: As the strating point of our design proposel is based on “Qasr Al - Farid” monumental tomb (1st century AD) which located UNESCO world heritage site “Mada’in Saleh” (northern Saudi Arabia). This ancient technique, which was carved into the rock shaped the design decision in our proposal.

Proposal: “Instead of defining a volume by using surfaces, we propose to placed a mass into space and shaped the volume by carving it.”

As a matter of the contemporary relationship between bodies and architecture in Art Jameel building, what would architectural scenario be? To tackle this problem, we tried to grasp architecture from an angle of how to carve the reserved volume within the HAYY and design a cinema space. The complex, which is currently under construction will be the fırst of its kind that represents a single identity and an urban condition at once.  An identity created through singularity and monumentality is designed to position itself as a new symbolic landmark which barrowed visual symbolism from “qasr al-farid”;“the lonely castle” so called because it stands completely isolated from the others, that was carved out of a single rock.

Our concept proposes elliptıc volume which seemed to have been carved out of existing body.Once you get to the open plaza/courtyard you will be faced with parabolic inner form that verticality predominates in the elevation of the auditorium/cinema space. Plywood vertical folds serve as acoustic reflectors, as well as expressions of verticality. Verticality continued through the gap that is formed on gallery floor slab while visibility is constantly maintained between foyer and first floor.The interior walls of which are carved with many “dushara nishes” served as ticketing stand, concessions stand and resting/sitting alcoves..

*dushara: being the chief god of the nabateans 

APPROACH

The aim of our proposal is; to differentiate ceramic coating materials by increasing the perception of three dimension. Designing functional product with universal lines which consists contemporary design references of architectural practice that can be used in different cultures, geographies and project types.

With the modular structure of the tiles, it is aimed to create a sustainable series with simplified production details , offering flexible solutions that will contribute to projects of different scales and types.

DESIGN

Geometry and texture that define the pattern on ceramic surfaces have been simplified and used to define light, which is the main element of our design approach. By raising / lowering the linear geometry, a variable third dimension was obtained with the emphasized contrast created by light and shadow.

Pattern : Different patterns are formed by the use of the tile in different directions within creating half line on the square shaped ceramic surface. Modularity created by differentiation offers flexibility of use according to scale, usage area and function.

Light : Third dimension has been created on the two-dimensional surface with light. Surface, defined by light and shadow, offers a dynamic and variable pattern at outdoor usage with natural light. Its modular structure provides different shaded pattern options with lighting at indoor usage.

Color : Color anthology of the product design was created from the "Architectural Polychromy" palette with reference to the modern architectural movement. Parallel with our design approach patterns formed by the shadows, "Architectural Polychromy" palette obtained with the shades of colors was preferred. Color anthology also be used to create mosaic surfaces either ton—on-tone or mix color combinations.

Texture : “DOWN” model, which is also used in flooring, has a matte surface that provides anti-slip, while the “UP” and “SPLIT” are offered in matte and glossy options used on wall surfaces.

Form :The product has been created from two sizes and three models to meet the needs of different scales and flexibility of use. Square form is preferred for four-way use. The tile is defined as 20x20cm considering the regional “ÇİNİ” tile reference for the pattern density in the interiors. “SPLIT” model offers an aa denser pattern alternative with the use of ceramic net. The 80x80cm tile has been considered for larger-scale facades, outdoor spaces, and large interiors.

Up :Shaded pattern is formed on the surface by raising the half line.

Down :Joint filler is integrated into the design by lowering the half line. Tile border becomes blurred and forms a pattern in which the joint and the tile are intertwined.

Split : Model with ceramic net in which the “UP” pattern is denser. 20x20cm tile formed by 6 pieces of 20x3cm with ceramic net.