HEBIL 157 HOUSES - TURKEY
Alper Aytaç
Biography
Alper Aytaç was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1977. He received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the Ohio State University in 1999. He worked at NBBJ and Eisenman Architects as a project assistant. In 2003, he received his Master of Architecture from the Southern Californian Institute of Architecture (SCI - Arc). In 2005 he founded Aytaç Architects in Istanbul that is engaged with building design, urban design, interiors and landscape design at all scales. The office operates like a laboratory with the aim to render space and building more mobile, dynamic, active than they have previously been understood as stasis and sedentary. The office strives to create powerful and clear design solutions individual to each project and site. In 2012 the office together with Eisenman Architects was awarded first prize in the Yenikapı Transfer Point and Archaeopark Competition.
The Office has received the ASLA Award in 2013 and the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award in 2014 for the Hebil 157 Houses project.
HEBIL 157 HOUSES
"Architecture as The Extension of Topography"
Hebil 157 Houses is a manifestation of this idea. Located in the North of Bodrum Peninsula, five unique villas are spread over five acres overlooking the tranquil panorama of Hebil Bay. Influenced by the site forces, size, geometry and orientation of the villas vary. All equally benefit from vast and wonderful views of the bay as they interact with the surrounding Aegean Landscape, and the Mediterranean Breeze.
The five villas are shaped and formed like the crystallized lava flows of the legendary Volcano Kos once located near the Hebil 157 site. Erupting out of the terrain dramatically, the vortexing “Bodrum White” masses merge back into the ground in tranquility, questioning the relationship between figure and ground.
Embracing the century old olive tree, the central courtyard acts as the origin of the centrifugal force in each building. The courtyard forming the heart of the building and the center of the vortex is a highly sculpted and articulated space. Its envelope hosts a fireplace, storage and interface units as well as providing cross ventilation throughout the building, thus reducing energy consumption for cooling.
Large glass surfaces bring the Mediterranean landscape inside, blurring the division between inside and outside.
The influence of the volcano is experienced both in materiality and spatial organization. The spaces are fluidly connected, rejecting compartmentalization.
No stone other than volcanic basalt has been used in the interior spaces. For the external spaces, local volcanic agglomerate, the output of in-situ excavations has been used extensively.
BACK TO HOMEPAGE >
