BETÜL PEKER PORTFOLIO
BETÜL PEKER
M.A Interior Architect
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Student
01.04.1996
betulpekerp@gmail.com +49 157 5269 7745
Amalienstraße 3 Weimar, 99423 DE
HOUSE FOR ARTIST AND ARCHITECT
bachelor, studio interior architecture III | housing in Trabzon, North of Türkiye 2018
AA house for a couple, the husband is an architect and the wife is an artist. They live together with their black cat, Kedi. The house is located in Trabzon, North of Türkiye.
Architect and artist
Trabzon is situated on the shores of the Black Sea, which contributes to its mild and humid climate. The region is characterized by green landscapes, mountains, and a rugged coastline. The house combines modern design with the traditional wood of the Black Sea ‘Karadeniz’ region of Turkey. The use of local wood not only respects the history of the region but also helps the house blend into its surroundings humbly. As part of the studio project, each student was asked to design a two-story living space resulting from the composition of two rectangular prisms. The students designed houses with different compositions of two rectangular prisms. I have designed a house that includes a balcony in the middle by overlapping the rectangular prisms and integrating the view into the living space. The art atelier and the kitchen are located on the ground floor, with a large window allowing light into the interior space.
Photo of the 1:50 scale model, made from foam board and balsa
Initial sketches of the house
THERMAE OF ACCONIA di CURINGA
competition, proposal for museumizing the Roman ruin in Curinga, Italy | in collaboration with Jakub Dračka 2024
The thermal baths of Acconia di Curinga is a harmonious blend of preservation, innovation, and sensory experience. The structure’s form, when viewed from above, is a testament to the rational grid inspired by the surrounding tree orchards. This grid, mirroring the hypocaust heating system, has been ingeniously translated into a new orchard of red-brown concrete columns, each proportioned differently to mimic the diversity of trees. The ruins themselves are encapsulated beneath an offset roof that not only casts shadows but also echoes the original structure’s shape. A wall, following the roof’s outline, gracefully crawls on the ground, reinforcing the historical silhouette. Roman-inspired windows perforate the roof strategically, allowing natural light to illuminate the interiors. These windows are not mere openings, they serve as architectural elements, transforming each space according to its historical function.
The Turkish Bath (Le Bain turc), Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres,1852
Ruins as they are
Concrete columns orchard
The route
The grid of the existing walls
Shifted grid with new concrete columns
Steel path and a concrete bench
The roof with Roman windows
Thermae of Acconia di Curinga
Axonometric view
The immersive journey through the structure is facilitated by a path crafted from prefabricated steel, providing a lightweight contrast to the robust brick walls. Positioned close to the walls, it encourages visitors to engage their senses by touching and smelling the ancient materials. The scent of flowers and herbs planted within the small rooms and the garden further enriches the sensory experience. Orange and lemon trees, along with fragrant herbs like rosemary, creates an olfactory landscape. Thermae becomes a sensorial orchestra, playing with the elements of sound, light, darkness, silence, warmth, cold, and water. The frigidarium, filled with water and featuring a large window, exudes a cold and open ambiance. The gymnasium, with its open roof perforation, invites contemplation under the sky. In contrast, calidaria and tepidaria are intimate, dark spaces where small chimney-like windows distribute a subdued light. Aediculas, designed as contemporary art gallery, adding a modern touch to the historical site. For those who prefer an external perspective, a strategically placed bench offers a shaded vantage point. The architectural design transcends mere visual aesthetics, aiming to engage visitors on a multisensory level, fostering a profound connection between the past and the present.
STUDIO ROTA
bachelor thesis | community and education center in İstanbul, Kadıköy 2019
Studio Rota is located in the Istanbul Kadıköy Community and Education Center in the heart of Kadıköy, Istanbul. It was designed with the attention and a conservative approach to the history of the old building and did not make dominant changes on the original structure of the building. Interior space carefully planned with variety of different workshop, conference spaces for the local community.
Photo of the 1:50 scale model, made from foam board
AVANOS HOUSE
housing project, renovation, planning, budget, fountain design and construction | Cappadocia, Avanos
2020 - ongoing
Fairy chimney, Cappadocia, 2021 summer
The old village of Avanos, whose name in ancient times was Venessa, overlooks the longest river in Türkiye, the Kızılırmak (Red River), which also separates Avanos from the rest of Cappadocia. The Avanos house is located near the vineyard and the village’s cemetery.
A few weeks after my graduation, my father and I decided to renovate our village house in Avanos. The materials used were wood, the local stone “Kisir taşı,” and glass. Several local craftsmen helped us. My father and I were dedicated to completing all the details custom-made. In the garden, I designed a fountain with Kisir stone for watering trees and flowers. Cappadocian houses generally consist of architectural structures made of carved stone on surfaces hewn into the rock. The “Kisir taşı” extracted from the quarries around Avanos was used as the building material and built as masonry. We are planning to build the 1st floor next year. I am working on the project, and in a few years, my parents will permanently move to Avanos from Istanbul.
Guest room section Front elevationKUSH PUB
proposal design, concept, color, material and planning | a pub in İstanbul, Moda 2023
Ground floor plan
In Kush Pub, friends gather during the day to enjoy the finest coffee and wine. At night, the space transforms into a vibrant party center for drinks and celebrations. Various layers of materials were carefully incorporated into the interior project. Priority was given to the use of natural materials in the design.
FAMILY HOUSE BATHROOMS
interior project, designing, planning, budget and construction | guest and master bathroom in Istanbul 2023
For a family house I designed in Istanbul, I created master and guest bathrooms. In the space, I used marble tiles as the dominant material due to their durability, resistance to moisture, and heat. For the master bathroom, I designed a custom-made wooden cupboard as a storage place.
Visualisation (above) and photos of the realized project (below)
Guest bathroom is just four meters square and frequency of the usage is less compared to bathroom. Considering the family budget, I used ceramic tiles on the wall and porcelain tiles for the floor.
Visualisation (above) and photos of the realized project (below)STUDIO TAKSIM
bachelor, studio interior architecture I | bike repair station, Taksim, Istanbul 2016
of the 1:50 scale model, made from painted papers, foam board and straphor
The project aims to bring a new function to the old Taksim tram repair station, transforming it a volunteer bicycle repairing workshop and open kitchen for homeless people. In the middle of building, public space is designed with the aim of including the street in the building on an urban scale.
Photos
CROSSWORD CAFE
bachelor, studio interior architecture II | cafe in Istanbul, Kadıköy 2017
The Crossword Café project predominantly utilizes playwood in its design and incorporates a suspended ceiling system, casting dynamic shadows on the floor.
Photos of the 1:50 scale model, made from balsa, paper, foam board and straphorINTERSECTIONS
bachelor, studio interior architecture IV | workplace in Ankara 2017
Photos of the 1:50 and 1:20 scale model, made from balsa, aluminum wire and foamboard
Photos of the 1:20 scale model, made from balsa, aluminum wire and foamboard
THE RHYTHM OF THE SILENCE
bachelor, basic design architecture studio I | form, composition and material studies
2015
Photos of the model made from corian
Photos of models made from foam board (above) and paper (belove)
CRETA LOUNGE CHAIR
bachelor, furniture construction III | in collaboration with Kaan Şahinoğlu in wood workshop
2019
Ash wood with beeswax ending.
Photo of the 1:1 scale recreation of Gerrit T. Rietveld’s chair (1934) in the wood workshopCABINETS
bachelor, furniture construction I | study of materials and tools 2017
Hand drawn construction details, watercolor and marker, 50 x 70 cm
During the first, second, and half of the third year of my bachelor ’s studies, I created various hand drawings. For the furniture construction atelier, I examined old wooden commodes and designed two commodes with appropriate hinge types. The cabinets were made of oak wood and MDF.
ROTATIONAL MOULDING
master, material research, wood moulding machine construction | Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
2022
The basic ingredients for self-made rotational molding are a hollow mold, casting materials, and a handmade rotating machine made of wood. This production method enables the creation of hollow bodies by rotating molds filled with various materials. Firstly, I prepared solid models and molds. Afterward, I rotated them with different types of plastic-based mixtures, experimenting with natural pigments and plaster while riding a bike connected to the wooden molding machine. My aim was to create objects that are hollow, lightweight, and have variable wall thicknesses for different purposes. The Red Ikebana vase and Turkish coffee water pot (initial model of the glass product) were outcomes of this experiment.
Photos of 1:1 scale models made from plaster and semi-rigid plastic
CABINETS OF CURIOSITIES
etching on copper I printing atelier, lucerne
2024
I employed the copper etching and aquatint technique to create a piece inspired by my memories in Switzerland and my personal memories related to places that I have been.
LOZÄRN SELF-PORTRAIT
printing atelier, lucerne I aquatinta on copper
2024
Embracing the tradition of handiwork, selfportrait reflects my humble dedication to preserving and honoring old art method in a simple yet profound manner.
CONFINED SPACES
architecture magazine, article I drawings for KooZarch abstraction series 2020
Mixed media, hand and digital drawing
Drawing was created in response to quarantine and became a tool to understand the passage of time. By inviting my friends and family to share their rooms and living spaces with me, I aimed to create a participatory architectural drawing series that explores how different people occupy limited spaces. Each room and house serves as a portraits of people that I know.
ROMA
competition I proposal for reusing the Nymphaeum in Genazzo, Italy 2024
Mixed media, hand and digital drawing
In the Roman countryside, the hidden Renaissance pavilion also known as Bramante’s Nymphaeum lies forgotten. Crafted by architect Donato Bramante in the early fifteenth century for the Colonna family in Genazzano, Nymphaeum is nestled in a forest near a quaint village. The competition challenged to transform the pavilion and its landscape into a theatre and public park.
ISTANBUL AND CONSTANTINOPLE
master’s research | analyses of Istanbul and Constantinople 2019 - 2020
Sketchbook papers
During my master’s, I conducted a research project in İstanbul that exploring the intricate relationship in urban scale between water, garden and architecture in the context of city which was named as Constantinople during the Byzantine period. For documenting, analysing my architectural observations drawing has become strongest tool to me.
UNDERSTANDING HEJDUK
John Hejduk’s understanding of architecture as an emphasizing emotive expressions over conventional functionalism, has left a impression on me to work on these drawings.
Eine Frau lebt in dem Haus; sie hat seinen Namen angenommen.
Ein Haus weiß, wer es liebt.
Ein leeres Haus verwandelt sich in einen leeren Raum.
Der Atem eines Hauses ist das Geräusch der Stimmen in ihm.
Das Haus hat nur Angst vor einem Gott, Feuer, Wind und Stille.
John Hejduk
