Initial Housing Units

After deciding some initial strategies and approaches on housing concept, we were expected to design some housing units, propose innovative set of housing units. Because of the primary goal in this project is to criticize the already existing housing units, apartment types, we were assigned to bring four different apartment type.

According to our case studies, we started to design our units considering the form of Semaphore, which consist of plates that have curvilinear form and spaces on it. This curvilinear plates allow various opportunity to design both fluid circulation areas, collective spaces and the areas where several plants are located and green is dominant. On the other hand, the wall system of the Diamond House of John Hejduk was referred, which has again curvilinear form and allow achieving undefined boundary conditions, spaces and breaking the already existing formation of the spaces; the adopted logic about the ‘corridor’ condition.

In addition we also don’t determine the units such as 3+1, 2+1 or 4+1. We interpret some spaces as they can change according to need. The unit for two people sometimes can turn into a type that three people can live. On the other hand, we didn’t design the units and offer a situation like, this type is designed for younger people and this type is for elderly.

Moreover, we also tried to include the green inside of the housing units. We want to let the green live in the housing.

Community Housing in Ankara

This semester the aim of the studio is developing an urban-based architectural understanding and dealing with the design problems in urban scale; with considering the various complex relations and multiple scales. Correspondingly, this term we are going to work on a project mass housing as a group, which will help us to consider and understand several architectural concepts like rationalization of spaces, multiplication of units, mass production, environmental concerns etc. The concept of “living together” and later “community housing” will be the focus, and this housing project will be for people from two different ages; university students and elderly. They will live together and form a community.

As the first stage, we were expected to bring some innovative approaches, outlines on housing concepts, determine some strategies etc. Accordingly, our studio started to search for the new ideas that directly correspond with our attitudes and what we want to achieve. First, we decided on that we want to make an ecologic, green and sustainable design. Then, we started to search for example projects that turned to case studies. Various scenarios and ideas, scenarios for cohabitation, relation and spread of green was discussed.

For the case studies, apart from the green and ecologic designs, we also searched for how to achieve fluid and continuous circulation, spaces; the spaces and paths that are defined by uncertain boundary conditions. The reason is because, one of our initial aim is creating unexpected conditions.

Initial case studies are; The Möbius House, Diamond House-John Hejduk and Semaphore.

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After Erasmus l Turning Back to Reality l New Term

The new term started with the new system. For the first time we will work as a group throughout the entire term. Although I have many doubts and reservations, on one hand, I know that at some point we had to experience working within a group for a long time.

At the first step of group working, we were expected to create our office made up by four person. In relation with that, we need to name our office, design a logo and define the identity, approaches and attitudes of the office. Including me, our architects are Alara Ata, Arca Çavuşoğlu and Mehmet Ünlü. So, here we are, TOUCHÉ.

Touché Studio is a design studio which targets the innovative, experimental, mostly ecologic and sustainable designes and exploring new ways of living. We are focusing on tactical and experimental innovations in the cities while trying to make an effective and unusual points. We are reinterpreting the existing one. We want to people to be the part of the changing system and unusual conditions rather than the conditions that we already encounter. On that point, we can say that, we want to make someone reconsider the situation.