For whom: Architects, engineers and residents of Kahramanmaraş
With whom: Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Architects, Istinye University and participants
When: 2023
We designed and built a social space for Mimkent, the container office area created by Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Architects for the architects and engineers who lost their offices in Kahramanmaraş center after the February 6 Earthquakes, in partnership with Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Architects and Istinye University. We aimed that this area will be a socialization area for the architects and engineers who will work in the containers here, as well as hosting events where architects and engineers can come together with the citizens for sharing, and discuss the future of the city.
After carrying out design studies and prototype trials at Istinye University for 2 weeks with the team selected from architecture and interior architecture students from different schools who applied to the open call, we went with the participants to Kahramanmaraş and constructed the project in 11 days. During the construction, we stayed in the empty containers in Mimkent at that time. We prepared a booklet of the project within the week after the application was completed and participants left Kahramanmaraş. While timber material support for the project was provided by Dulkadiroğlu Municipality, other expenses were covered by Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Architects and our association.
The area shown in pink on the site plan was designed as a “sub-unit”. This place; in addition to having functions such as seating, dining and bar work areas, it also offered flexible spaces to the users. The work area section in the module below in this unit was not built because the material supply ran out during construction.
The second area shown in yellow was designed as a “stage unit”. It was aimed to establish a relationship with both the first and third areas of this unit. The relationship with the first area was established through the deck and pergola, and the relationship with the third area was established through the stage. The fabric pieces of the stage unit and sub unit that would provide shade in the summer were not mounted as it was the end of the season, and the fabrics were stored in the area to be used the following year.
In the last area shown in blue, the “amphi” unit was designed. The stage in the second area shown in yellow is positioned to be viewed from here. It was also designed to be suitable for spending free time.
We would like to thank the Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Architects, with whom we have been in contact since our first visit 2 weeks after 6 February and with whom we have been in mutual solidarity since the first day of our work in the region, Istinye University for hosting the design phase of the project, Dulkadiroğlu Municipality for material support, individual donors who contributed to all our work in the earthquake, and the participants who made the design and construction possible.
You can review the booklet of the project here.
You can access the photo album of the project here.
Project participants:
Ayşe Nur Çelik, Ayşegül Acar, Ayşenaz Uzun, Berra Fatma Özdemir, Betül Ündar, Cemrenur Karaca, Emre Gündoğdu, Esra İmer, Hüseyin Akmunzur, Işılsu Yaşar, İlyas Semih Keçeli, İsa Yavuz, Muhammed Hançer, Nurselen Karal, Sarper Takkeci, Şeymanur Altay, Yüksel Şevval Başaran, Zehra Gürbüz, Zeynep Nazlıcan Gürdamar
* The project was included in the selection of Turkish Architecture Yearbook 2023.
