Water Barrier. Ornithology Center. Istanbul

Water Barrier. Ornithology Center. Istanbul

Raguotis, A.

Rommens, O. (mentor)
Schoonderbeek, M. (mentor)
Jennen, P. (mentor)

Architecture and The Built Environment

Public Building

Border Conditions

2014-10-29

The project which was developed, deals with very same questions that I was raising during the research phase. It is seen as an experiment, knowledge which was gathered during research put to practice. The design is inserted into natural setting, which is on one side confronted by the uncontrolled sprawl of gated communities and the water basin on the other. What makes the space so particular and the choice of preference is its direct link to nature and water resources as the research area, and it’s being the fringe of the city. It is located at the periphery of Istanbul being the crucial element of the city. The site itself, acts as a buffer flood zone for Alibey river basin. This area was constructed as part of Alibey Rivers Dam. It was built in late 1960’s in order to fulfill the demands for water in Istanbul. Area is quite neglected, surrounded by faceless gated communities and barbed wire fences. As I have mentioned before, I find this site being a fringe, or a space in between, where city clashes into nature, as if the one side tries to take over the other and exactly at the line where water meets land the dike is placed. A very harsh and rational cut off, which serves the only purpose to keep the water, gathered in the basin, out from the city. On one hand, the area is completely artificial, made to serve the needs of the constantly increasing Istanbul population, but at the very same time is has the potential to become the space which rises the awareness towards nature, and creates the subtle dialog between the natural resources, which are depleting constantly and the built environment. I believe the qualities and potentials that site possesses makes the link between my research and the design. The design works as an extension of the existing water lock walls placed in the dike. Though at first glance, the walls should increase the separation between the two sides, but as my research showed, wall creates the precedent, firm and stable border. This allows space to be created in between where people could go and experience the worlds of nature and the built environment. By adding the openings, the walls become middle place composed of interactions and inter-views sort of void, a place of exchanges and encounters for the public.

Ornithology Center

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:cbb5d2b6-cc55-484b-a020-a6da1274eb20

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2014 Raguotis, A.