Blurred Houses

Project idea

The archeological findings discovered in an excavation on the project site in Küçükyalı which is close to Kadıköy, İstanbul. The dichotomy between the public program of an archeological park and the private use of the housing becomes a major input in the design process.

The findings discovered during the excavations and the physical and sociological characteristics of Kucukyalı act as primary sources of contextual information. The housing, a placeless building-type defined by its own programmatic codes; turns itself inside out to deal with the specific characteristics of this unique situation and place. Since the housing will be situated on a site characterized by archeological findings, in order to deal with this unique situation the program elements are considered as individual units spread on the site on a protective canopy, rather than building a compact, introverted, conventional housing building. The location of the findings discovered on site determines the exact location of the columns and the openings for exhibition to take place in daily life of users of the project and also citizens of Kucukyalı.

Project description

A complex in Kucukyalı which explores the borders of living and working through archeological and social norms. houses around causes the arkeo-park to be isolated and make it open to risk of social apathy. So the some buildings with the possibility of being on some archeological ruins are chosen for the project site. Also it is considered to find new areas of archeological ruins so the project aims to spread without any defined borders within the enclosure of the main monastry. The housing unit is explored as the main foundation of the contemporary city, a subject capable of slowly absorbing every urban function. Not only the epicenter for domestic and familiar life, the house is turned into a productive and a leisure space, a meeting point for the community, an infrastructure. The study of different possibilities of aggregating housing cells, the analysis of neutral space to construct an interiority which is adaptable to social and economical shifting, the identification of a “form” which is resistant to obsolescence and dialogues with both human history and future ways of living are the core subjects which are tested in different scales and physical contexts.

Technical information

Where divisions between workplace, home and leisure space are diminished. 1. The units have unique openings which provides open private space.
2. The gaps on the platform allows community to observe the archeological
practices in daily life also they can join to these practices.
3. Socializing area bring together different social groups together.
4. The monastry courtyard have events for everyone and it acts like a main gathering place.
5. There is no common museum type exhibitions but variational gaps allows for a different type of exhibition approach.
The housing unit is explored as the main foundation of the contemporary city, a subject capable of slowly absorbing every urban function. Not only the epicenter for domestic and familiar life, the house is turned into a productive and a leisure space, a meeting point for the community, an infrastructure. The study of different possibilities of aggregating housing cells, the analysis of neutral space to construct an interiority which is adaptable to social and economical shifting, the identification of a “form” which is resistant to obsolescence and dialogues with both human history and future ways of living are the core subjects which are tested in different scales and physical contexts.The individual footing of the foundation (30x30x50) on the site, under the ground floor platform is chosen in order to minimize any potential damage to the findings. Steel columns are used to provide more flexibility to housing units as they are prefabricated. The platform supported by these columns acts both as a marker for
the archeological park and as a platform housing program elements such as the barber, library, cafe and newsstand. This platform creates vista points to enjoy
the view of the monastry and the neighboorhood and sustains a under street as a transition element.

Slits on the platform act as skylights for the archeological site below and provide a visual connectionbetween the findings and housings located on the platform.
The main body of housing is consisted of prefabricated housing units stacked near each other according to the gridal system. The room-units placed on the steel sub-structure are connected to the main circulation
with walkways and bridges. The common spaces located under the main canopy and this semi-openspace creates an inner world where one can experience the climate and local conditions and has visual contact with the excavation site all the time. The archeology lab, restaurant and other shops are located on the lower levels in relation with the archeological site. With its characteristics, the housing becomes a site-specific building without compromising spatial standards of housing in general.

The open-air circulation through the upper and lower level, composed of ramps and stairs, allows visitors to experience the archeological park from different perspectives.

The pre-fabricated components of the housing help minimize in-situ fabrication. The building is assembled on site rather than being built there and reminds one of the temporary structures built by archeologists during the excavation. Also they change according to new findings and new exhibiton spaces.

Co-authors

no co-authors