FALL 2022-ARCH401

The Village is located in Doganbey Village, and it is an articulated abstraction of the existing buildings adorning the sloped hills. The function itself is an extension of the protection of the animals and plants of the Dilek peninsula and protected natural heritage surrounding the region. In addition to this, a new exhibition will be created in the location that is now vacant in front of the structure that is already there. This new addition is a replica of the ancient Greek ruins which distributed around the area and are created out of rocks and natural materials. The vernacular rendition is put arranged in a hierarchical order on the new site and there is also a space which spans on an axis going to the primary view of the Dilek peninsula which is the Aegean Sea.

 A tale of routes that travel back-and-forth from the main building and lodging units for the researchers who are going to be the major users of the research units is going to have its climax at the vantage point, which makes use of the natural beauty that is all around the location and exhibits a unique sculpture of local animals and plants. The exhibition and the ground floor of the existing building are both open to the public. The ground floor of the building also serves as a buffer zone for possible interactions between the scientists working there and the interested tourists who wish to learn more about the conservation work that is being done in Domatia (the old rendition of Doganbey). The private top floor is only designed to be viewed by the researchers, which is why they have two distinct doors that can be accessible by stairs. These entrances are not in the main view of the other users, which provides a certain level of privacy. In addition, the acomodation provides its guests with their own personal space, and access to that area is limited. These two units, which are serving as dwellings for the invited researchers, also feature an open courtyard and a small closed lounge where they can relax during times when the weather is not good enough for them to enjoy the outdoor sitting areas.

 

The smaller units not only recreate what can be seen in the surrounding area, but they also offer a variety of exhibition-related activities, ranging from rooms devoted to taxidermy to greenhouses that are home to indigenous plant species and meeting halls outfitted with cafeterias. The size of them is determined by the requirements of the users, as well as the quantity of flux that is supposed to be stored within. The dynamic positioning of the smaller pieces results in the formation of little courtyards, which the users may utilize as places to rest and engage in social interaction with one another. Litracon, a kind of translucent concrete produced from aggregate glass fibres, was the primary material used in the construction of the new exhibition spaces. This material enabled light to enter the voids without the need for an excessive number of windows. Because of this, the blocks have an overall brutal and quaint appearance from the outside, but they are really rather bright on the inside because to the natural light that is able to pass through the grey concrete. Because Litracon is also a load-bearing material, there is no need for columns of any kind, and the only structural modifications are the beams that hold the roof. Anyone who is looking down from above at the buildings will be able to understand what the idea is all about since the path is also evident on the rooftop in the form of jagged lines. Terrazzo Lumina, a form of concrete that is also capable of allowing light to pass through structures, is the component that is used in the production of this horizontal path. Olive trees, which are indigenous to and plentiful in the Aydin area, have been planted along the sides of the buildings so that the shadows of these trees may be observed as people go through the structures.

 

The route is also mirrored on the few windows that are on the buildings, and these windows provide for more dynamic views of the outdoors, imitating picture-perfect panoramas that offer glimpses of all sides of the peninsula. The gaps between the buildings also have the purpose of providing narrow glimpses of what will be seen in the last structure, which serves as the story's conclusion and an intensification of the senses. This building is situated on the incline of the hill, thus necessitating some extra support through a truss system. This cantilever construction on the cliff is not quite apparent due to the extensive flora that is located on the cliff, which serves to maintain the homogeneity of the design. “The village” is just that: an abstraction of an actual village, something that tends to bring people together, a dense network of street and small alleys, with natural materials and simple obstructions.