Minimum space

Research

and

metaproject

for

a

micro

architecture

in

Instanbul

Contents

01 | Introduction

02 | Suggestions

03 | Elements

04 | Concept

05 | Metaproject

01 | Introduction

O b j e c t | the ideation of a meditative space

What does minimum space mean?

M i n i m u m | dimension and functions S p a c e | feelings, sensations, movement, relations

S u g g e s t i o n s | an insteresting travel in Istanbul, in particular a visit to the Topkapi Palace, made me feel wishful to analyse their architecture. From the re-elaboration of some of the Harem building elements I realized a space that should be located in Istanbul.

0 2 | S u g g e s t i o n s | I s t a n b u l , To p k a p i P a l a c e

“ Life can’t be all that bad,

I’d think from time to time. Whatever happens, i can always take a long walk

“

along the Bosphorus Life can’t be all that bad, I’d think from time to

”

time. Whatever happens, Orhan i Pamuk can always take a long walk along the Bosphorus

”

Orhan Pamuk

Topkapi Palace

0 2 | S u g g e s t i o n s | I s t a n b u l , To p k a p i P a l a c e

0 2 | S u g g e s t i o n s | I s t a n b u l , To p k a p i P a l a c e

0 2 | S u g g e s t i o n s | I s t a n b u l , To p k a p i P a l a c e

03 | Elements A | Inviolability

‫مرح‬‎ - ḥaram | forbidden place, sacrosanct, sanctum

‫ ميرح‬- ḥarīm | a sacred inviolable place, a non-gendered space referring to those quarters forbidded to all except the rightful owner

A layout plan of the principal courtyards of the Topkapi Palace as surveyed by Cornelius Gurlitt (1910) is notable for the blank, uncharted section of the Harem. It written “zugänglicher teil des serai”, the inaccessible part of the sultan.

B | Strategic thresholds

Bab-us Saadet - Gate of Felicity The celebrated porta regia and its magnificence served to deceive. Its rare staged openings served only to reveal, in a moment of high drama, the enthroned figure of the sultan within a private audience hall that was purposefully positioned to obstruct any meaningful views into the harem. This threshold helped preserve the harem as a forbidden inner sanctuary, witheld from the public gaze.

Arabalar Kapisi - The Carriage Gate The true entrance to the harem remains largely inconspicous. In a shaded corner of the second courtyard, two unassuming iron gates escaped attention. This threshold silently announce itself through gilt inscriptions as the true entrance into the harem, or more precisely as “harim-i cennet-i ‘alide bab-i sultani,” that is, the “Sultanic Gate in the Harem of the Sublime Paradise”.

C | Sequence of spaces

Layered sequence of spaces and thresholds

Key courtyards

D | Skyspace

Concubines courtyards

Eunuchs courtyards

04 | Concept

A | Closing towards the city

A | Breaking - Threshold

The relations with the caos of the city is interrupted by this pure volume that works as a holy fence.

04 | Concept

terno, distacco, salita e

C | Relations with outside

cleo interno

D | Inner core

The visitor can have a visual connection with the rest of the city from the top of this landmark.

Inside there is a circular space that is the core of the building, the space for the meditation.

04 | Concept

F | Relations with the inner

E | Outside/inside

geometry

When the visitor enter from the first door he can see that there is an internal place but he can’t reach it, he has to walk on a ramp that goes around the core.

There is a strong difference between the appearence of the building from the outside and the real composition of the spaces inside. Linear geometry of the exterior walls and the curved shape of the interior walls.

04 | Concept

1 | Light The inner core is the only

Jus

source of light in the spa-

ligh

ce.

day

2 | Materials The inner core is made of gravel and the rest is made of concrete.

3 | Sound There are different sounds

The

thanks to the materials.

gra

st inside Justthe inside core the the core the

Inside theInside core the there core is athere i

ht changes light changes during the during the

eye to theeye sky. to the sky.

y.

day.

ere is There the sound is theof sound the of the

avel and gravel of theand water. of the water.

04 | Concept

Concept model | Material and light

04 | Concept

Concept model | Material and light

05 | Metaproject

Scenario