Flowing Spine / Hilal Ünal
Karahantepe is an archeological site that has a high potential for understanding the Neolithic age. Since the researchers are still working on the site, there is a need for an excavation house near the site. Since the excavation team is working under hard conditions, the project is designed in order to increase their daily life quality and make life easier for them. On the other hand, the part which will serve the public is designed to represent the Karahantepe in a way that is the most effective.
As a concept study, the main aim is to design an excavation house that is the combination of Karahantepe and Şanlıurfa as an architectural characteristic. The start point of the design proposal is creating a spine considering the user circulations and the spine was supported by the functions. The circular form of the buildings is taken from the architectural characteristics of Karahantepe and Göbeklitepe. There are gaps located in the middle of the circular forms to create a courtyard and all the functions are faced to the courtyard. The idea of creating a courtyard and locating functions depending on it is coming from traditional Şanlıurfa houses.
There are two scenarios for the circulation, one of them for the visitors and one of them for the excavation teams. There are common-used functions located in the connection point of these two scenarios. The beginning of the spine starts with public usage and continues with commonly used functions, and it ends with the private spaces. For the visitors, the main aim of the scenario is to introduce the archaeological site to the visitors. For the excavation team, the scenario is prepared to increase their life quality and make their life easier by locating the function easily accessible for them. At the end of the project, the circulation spine is flowing inside of the circular form and creating the excavation house project.
The main construction material is the rammed earth. The reason why rammed earth is chosen is that it is compatible with the environment, and it is a traditional material. On the other hand, While designing the façade of the building, the natural ventilation system was arranged with the help of openings. Also, there will be a system with the help of beams that will provide a shadow for the users on a hot summer day. For the controlled access, there will be folding shutters for the open part that will be arranged to protect open and closed space balance.
