4 CASE STUDIES 4.5 IZMIR AGRICULTURE CENTRE

Concept

Recently, Turkey have seen an increase in the built environment due to the rising population from immigration and the resulting need for housing. This change in circumstances has put urban agricultural fields at risk. The spreading built environment reaching the city perimeter affects rural lands because the small city centres cannot accommodate the growing population. The alarming decrease in the number of users involved in agricultural practices and livestock throughout the country shows that serious problems will be faced in the future regarding both activities.

Program

The project’s program has agricultural areas for normal and smart soil application, agricultural areas with high row planting system, greenhouses, eco-market, multi-purpose hall, training classes, administration, laboratory, library, technical service and wet areas.

The core of the design is the bioswale (bioboulevard), which connects the units organized in a linear arrangement, and the circulation axis is formed by it. This linear structure gives visitors a chance to comprehend and interact with the institute’s operational system. Visitors and users are typically transported to the educational spaces such as laboratories and libraries via the longitudinal circulation axis, which begins at the northern main entrance. The eco-market space separates educational spaces from agricultural activity spaces such as greenhouses and vertical gardens.

After the eco-market space, people are invited to view and engage with various farming techniques in the agricultural activity zones. At the southern end of the territory, the design setup concludes with the conventional and innovative soil-applied agricultural lands.