Architecture Design Urban Research VIDEO Art Direction Experimental
Architecture
Birine Ev
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"Birine Ev", meaning "Home for One", the task is to design a house for Berrak and Toprak; a writer mother and her musician son.
Both artists work from home, and their professional and personal lives are pretty interwined. In response to this, the project's key dilemma is how to create spaces that are capable of responding to their needs in a broader sense. Having a variety of spaces is key for them, including creative work settings as well as practical spaces for large gatherings. Ultimately, Berrak and Toprak should be able to use the spaces for as many purposes as they see fit, and be able to give their own meanings to them.
The project site is located in a historical neighbourhood in Kuzguncuk, on a narrow plot by the sea. On the back of the site, after the street, there is a steep topography that forms a unique multi-layered İstanbuler setting. Inspired by this multi-layered setting, the project creates a multi leveled context within the project. Taking advantage of the triangular plot site directed by the sea, private spaces are identified with the sea and social spaces with the street.
Type_Residental
Site Location_İstanbul, Turkey
Date_2015
individual work
advisor
Boğaçhan Dündaralp
Design Studio I
Faculty of Architecture and Design
Bahçeşehir University




On a two-level plot, the balloons represent spaces in the house. They gain dimension as they move along the threads. The experimental concept model on the left gave rise to the idea of having a constant element to which the moving spaces will be attached.




plan drafts, hand drawn + collage
street elevation

structural concept to enable spatial transformation
On the left is a collage depicting the structural concept of the project that enables transformable spaces.
The spaces loosen and expand around predetermined programs from Berrak and Toprak; and they form a spatial unity. During the design process, the focusing geometry of the site was utilized to grade the private-social space binary. The sea texture on one hand and the green texture on the other hand, define the two poles of the axis the site stands on. These poles are referenced in the gradual figuring of private and social spaces within the house.


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In the physical model structural elements are shown in white, while the fixed element is shown in grey. The worm-like fixed element surrounds the house up and down the levels, and between two poles.
Electricity, heating, and plumbing are all part of the infrastructural worm. Additionally, as it runs throughout the house, it morphs into a staircase, seating element, botanic garden compartment, and even a pier. It provides flexibility wherever it is.
The transformation of the spaces are supported by the vertical and horizontal plane elements which are also movable and attached to the infrastructural worm through railing.
Living spaces grow around the worm, at least until Berrak or Toprak decide they like it another way. Then they can define another kind of space with the help of supportive planes.
The spaces sit on different grades on the site, and the negative spaces were also incorporated into the design.



