TEXTale / Aisha Khidro Falaha
TEXTale – A Textile Upcycling and Innovation Center in Maraş TEXTale is a project that reimagines the future of textile craft by transforming the
former NFK Cultural Center in Maraş into a vibrant hub for upcycling, learning, and community engagement. Rooted in the rich heritage of textile production in Maraş, the project aims to bridge traditional knowledge with contemporary design practices, focusing on sustainability, reuse, and cultural revival. Rather than demolishing the existing structure, TEXTale takes an adaptive reuse
approach. The architectural transformation respects the original form of the NFK
Center while introducing new spatial relationships that promote openness, creativity, and collaboration. The redesign adds layers of meaning—through light-
filled studios, flexible workshops, and curated zones for exhibitions, performances, and public interaction. Structural elements are exposed, surfaces are softened with textile installations, and movement is guided through reimagined circulation paths that invite users to explore and participate. TEXTale’s program includes upcycling studios, fashion and textile workshops, a
public exhibition space, and a semi-open showcase street for fashion shows and events. These functions are not only responsive to environmental concerns but also serve as platforms for empowering local artisans, designers, and students to work together. Placing the project in Maraş is intentional. It revives the city’s historic relationship with craft, while offering a forward thinking model that respects place, memory, and material. TEXTale is more than a building—it is a cultural ecosystem that turns waste into value and memory into momentum. Through this transformation, the building shifts from being a passive cultural center into an active site of production, education, and exchange. It becomes a space where heritage is not preserved as a static display but lived, challenged, and reshaped for future generations.
