FALL 2022-ARCH401

In a place where the historical building with its irregular shape and limestone facade is dominant, where there are no humans but nature, where there is the sound of endemic fauna and the landscape of the exceptive flora, the research center is designed in harmony with the unexpected environment inspired from the historical building viewing to the sea and river by creating a variety of terraces. it is a place that is occupied by researchers and academicians who are looking for preserving the environment and the endemic species. it is located in a very unique location beside of visitor center creating an adventure tour in respect of the existing ruins. The first experience for the user once he enters the site is the landscape that is beside the parking area which is welcomed by everyone. then the user will be going to experience the visitor center to get an idea about the general information about the environment and about the flora and fauna endemic species. then after exiting from the visitor center there will be admin access reaching from the project until the main terrace. There is a main conference hall that can fit up to 45 users. On the opposite side of the conference hall, there are a lobby, reception, foyer, and administration office. On the back side of this area, there is a ramp that reaching to the accommodation which is designed for six researchers, thanks to the location of the accommodation and the topography, there is a special terrace facing the river and sea. The researchers can easily go to the research lab by two ramps designed in accordance with the main axis which is between the conference and the lobby. At that point, users will use two staircases and academicians will use two ramps, they will be on a public terrace where they can socialize discussing and know each other better. Then they can use the coworking area beside the coffee kitchen. At the end of this interior space, there is a private research lab. There is a clear similarity between the buildings to each other, for example, the building where the lobby is located has the same shape but is smaller compared with the building where the coworking is located, the shape of a triangle without acute angles. The landscape is designed for flexible accessibility between these buildings. as there is a terrace for accommodation, there are another terrace half meters above the ground that can be accessed from the conference hall helping the educators to have a fresh time viewing the landscape and panorama view. there is a partial gravel roof beside the terrace giving an aesthetic value. The other materials of the building are designed to make it minimalist and to not make visual distraction from the existing environment. the idea is to make the building less dominant in order to keep the historical buildings such as the visitor center and the ruins focus of attention by anyone who experienced the place. The flat roof of the research center which is not exceeding 3 meters in height is shaped to be in harmony with the irregularity that can be seen everywhere in the village. At any point of the project, the landscape environment can be seen clearly helping researchers to feel the environment of the village anywhere and enjoy the panorama view of the sea. the designed landscape characteristic follows the same technique that is used in the buildings creating an area where everyone is welcome to have this experience.