experience of spaces

a series of writings by students who have listened to architects who experienced different spaces

cannot be felt

experienced by Architect Muhammed Emin Şişman

The professional, cultural and spiritual accumulation of a person shapes their view of the world and enables them to get on the path. When it comes to space, the first thing that comes to mind is an area surrounded by four walls; but cities should also be examined as a spatial concept. In the analysis of this week’s experience of spaces, I will talk about and analyse the architect Peter Zumthor, who cares about the reflection of emotions on the space and defends the importance of the first impression, as much as I can, with the information I gained from the lesson.

First of all, the main fact that allows our architect to address emotions positively and also with a high quality, is that he knows his materials. So how can an architect recognise the material? Zumtor’s accumulation of knowledge comes from carpentry, which has lost its importance compared to the century we live in. He could directly touch the material and reflect the feelings he experiences on it. What is this quality architecture we mentioned? In my opinion, if the space moves you, it can touch your emotions and express something for you, then it is a quality architecture.

Our architect says, “When I enter a building, I should be impressed, I expect a poetry effect from the buildings.” I think these demands for structures are interesting types of approach, which we could understand that he is actually a poet-spirited person. As an example, one day, when I sit down, I like the atmosphere and say, “This atmosphere gets to me, but why so? What provides this composition?” Questioning the

event with questions such as these, explains the deep thoughts in his works.

I think that, questioning the situation and using the effects of materials on the environment, are the biggest factors on succeeding. In addition, in order to create the right outcome; walking through the memories of childhood, how her grandmother’s door closes and how she touches his emotions, searching this sound on the door he designed. This all proves that Peter Zumthor has great backgrounds in his each design. Actually, I think that the source of this desire to influence, in his works comes from him being a painter. It is not that his structure is obsessive; I think it is about the character, love of profession or striving to be competent. With this mentality, he deserved the valuable awards of today, with his few structures.

In a situation where the aim is to “influence”, Peter Zumthor emphasized that one of the most important factors is the principle of contrast. For example, I was really impressed by the color harmony of a modern material with a traditional material in the Kolumba Museum project. I think such a restoration perspective is ahead of our period. I also think that Peter Zumthor is an impressive symbolist. He implements something real with the metaphors he makes in a way that would be perfect for the structure, and gives messages to the person who understands them. (But for those who understand!) Architects have to consider many parameters when designing. Zumthor is aware of this or I feel so.

I am one of those who think that the design and form of a well-thought-out structure does not only come from function. From the atmosphere it is in, the designed structure... I think our architect is someone who can analyze these parameters well. This approach is what made Peter Zumthor skilled.

“Good architecture is architecture that cannot be felt by narrating.”

Red houses, which are settled in the nature with little touches as if coloring a canvas, these small houses, which are positioned softly in the endless green, pushes us to question their colors in terms of their harmony with the environment at first glance. Why is the same effect not seen in the color preference while settling in the land with such humility? Even if the houses are wanted to be seen in different colors in the morning, afternoon and evening lights, wouldn’t this be achieved with another color that is more harmonious with its surroundings?

Another situation that attracts our attention in the outdoor area is that these houses, with their subtle basement beneath them, lie softly on their fingers without touching the ground. This is exactly how the houses touch the land. When we come to the interior, the windows that look thinly slatted from the outside turn into the windows opening to the infinite space where they are located. Of course, with the white color that surrounds the interior, it becomes more transparent and more clear. If we look at the houses from a bird’s eye view, the light and dark tiles that are used in traditional hipped roofs are not only special but they only make these houses whole with the land they live on.

örencik cottages

experienced by Architect Halil İbrahim Düzenli

Of course, it would not have come to mind that these houses, which seemed to be interspersed on a sloping land, will actually become something that is located in endless space and opens new windows to that endless space. These crimson houses, which have been meticulously placed in endless places, seem in many ways like simple houses and they are shaped by a simple logic. We can also call it the blend of simplicity from the tradition with the touches of the architect in terms of construction techniques used from the roof to the window, from the basement to the leveling wall. This blending issue is actually the answer to the question of how the concepts used by Örencik country house architects to express themselves reflect on architecture; zühd, modesty, piety, temaşa, backward from the unnecessary, looking at the nature, touch the nature... They are all available in these houses.

Our adventurous journey continues unabated. Where are we now? Hola! We are in Barcelona. I realise that we are as the same as the people we look at in this city, in which wide streets feel spacious beyond privacy, on the other hand, where everywhere is clearly seen. I focus on the energy and how it makes me feel, as my teacher draws my attention to people. As I look at the photo, suddenly I hear voices, and I see that people are losing their joy, the local tastes are diminishing, the colors are disappearing; then I move away quickly. I looked up and saw many historical monuments and the city’s heritage. And just when I am enjoing this fact, my dear teacher comes in the middle, he explains the material they use, and the obsolescence of the materials they use. Because of the vertical windows, it seems that they want to establish a bond between the past and the present additions. As we travel, we come across the Palace of Torre, one of Gaudi’s works. The unique interpretation of this master, who accompanies a parabolic arch to the masonry structure, makes me feel as if it is unfair for the country to be unsustainable. With the fine craftsmanship we see in the details, it surrounds us around a net and you just dive in. This is actually why he is the first person we think of when we hear about Barcelona.

I find myself in the narrow streets of life, where I get rid of the wide streets and find myself pale, which makes me feel good. I imagine I am walking down that street. While the flags on the windows whisper that we do not belong to anywhere, I fall into the colors of the wind rose and let this spirit takes me away. As I continue through the narrow streets, this time I find myself in a boutique book house that exists here with a photograph. Would you like to meet Mr. Nasreddin here? I did not expected it either, but it was just sitting there. This was what culture is, our teacher says. It draws our attention to the fact that we are visiting a city where different cultures have the opportunity to express themselves.

We are going into a museum, it is an archaeological museum. Our teacher invites us in with a photo he took of us. The stunning turquoise, the impressive Murdum, the most ambitious shades of green... it becomes a museum that unsettles you at first, but then applauds

barcelona, barcelona

experienced by Architect Hasan Fırat Diker

its courage and its fiction with the colors of the interior. Right after, you are like, it is unfortunate that so many colors could be in a museum. Our teacher is involved and says “No one is timeless, when you design a museum you are a part of history” and adds that the new is hard to accept, there are always great efforts to get the those accepted. Finally, he says “You are only aware of triumphant innovations” which opens up my perceptions. I dive back into the city from the photos. I am in front of a store now. It is a bag store and I am looking at the window. The use of many colors tells me something about the essence of the city in this showcase. The wind roses in the narrow streets, the colors I see in the museum, combines the pieces of a bigger picture and makes me think that it is a country that is open to innovation. On the one hand, I think of the works of the new generation of Gaudí and the endless church, the arena they turned into a shopping centre. With so many questions going through my mind, I wonder how we can take the new into our lives without hurting the old.

We are getting to the end by looking at the last photos. Hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to go and experience it for myself. I would like to thank to my teacher Hasan Fırat Diker, who conveyed his experiences and made me feel like I was there. Stay in peace.

sykai

The area of the project is called Sykai (“fig grove”) and is located at Şişhane/Galata. After a series of analyses about the region, project is developed around some basic concepts. These are; respect, art, trust and story. Trust with art and respect with story relations are aimed to be formed. The project is mixed-use; office, hotel, art gallery and commercial units. When topographic side of the land is considered, Galata Tower keeps under control the levelling of the structure. On the landscape decisions; offices and commercial areas are placed on the street side, and on the inside hotel is located. The streets there were in the land were kept the same. A landscape plan formed around them.

LANDSCAPE PLAN

FLOOR PLAN