HEART of STONE / Sude Demir
With my project, I worked on the concept of “stone” as both philosophical and material
instrument. Presenting the stones that I uncovered from the castle in the exterior of the
building, I had a design language responding to the historical texture and related to the
environment. These rocks existed not just as things, but as parts of narratives which
carry the trace of the past to the present. I ensured continuity of the concept through
designing my modules in rock and stone formation with textures and cavities that echo
the surface of natural stone.
The modules include workshops in handicraft such as stone carving, jewelry making and
ceramics. Not only were the workshops planned as production, but also as spaces for
visitors to experience and interact with masters. Both the results of these productions
and model pieces of art and stonework are showcased in the exhibition modules in
addition to the workshops. Production and exhibition then form a fiction that supports
each other.
Also, via the apertures I left for the castle walls, I have allowed natural light in and a
visual relation to the outdoors. Some of these openings produce light plays on the
stonework floor at dusk with the lamps within and cast an air of mysticism and drama
within the space. Stone here is not a building material; it is a medium for expression that
unites history, skill, and beauty. 
