Contemporary Art & Architecture
Research Center
When the site was first introduced to us, my initial reaction was to tackle the historical context of the site in relation to the contemporary setting of our time. As such the possible conflict birthed the concept of my project to have a contemporary art and architecture research center that would investigate the impact of new architectural elements on any given historic context with the ultimate goal of better understanding how to better integrate contemporary architecture and architectural elements in any given historic context, the rich history of the peninsula in general and the immediate surrounding in particular in my opinion would act as the perfect place for such research activity.
This translates in a program that includes workshop and media room research facilities as well as counterparts for public participatory collaboration, the spaces as such flow from public spaces and exhibitions to collaborative mixed spaces and finally reach the private research facilities, while the two central courtyards act as both transitional spaces during this movement and functional spaces that contain said functions themselves too.
The building takes into consideration the natural human flow and density in the site to determine the access points to the building as well as the natural flow towards and inside the building. As such the main entrance faces the main street of Kadinlar Market, while the researchers enterance comes from the side of the adjacent fatih park passing under the aqueduct.
Morphologically, the project integrates local typologies such as the central courtyard and the varied levels derived from the slope of the site, as a result it doesn't rise vertically but rather expands to the edges of its boundary while retaining open spaces in its central courtyard.
Structurally the building uses concrete shear walls in the core and columns as the main structural elements but envelopes it in wood and glass frame and cladding that reiterates and highlights the afore mentioned point of contemporary and historic realtion question, all interior walls and the roof structure is subsequently made of wood too.
The roof structure also integrates raised roofs that allow for spanning glass panels that allow for natural light to reach the inside from many angles and not have a large volume of closed spaces.
Three types of façade element panels make up the exterior view of the research center, comprising of closed wooden panels, wooden panels with glass windows, and charred dark timber cladding, the panels at the same time are designed to integrate the interior flat surfaces with the rising and descending exterior pathways.
