CIVIC HARMONY / YAHYA KAAN ÇAKIR

This project addresses the growing disconnection between Sivas’s dissolving rural landscape and its expanding urban fabric by positioning the municipality building as a spatial and social threshold. Rather than functioning solely as an administrative structure, the building is conceived as a civic space that mediates between past and future, rural memory and urban growth. The harsh continental climate of Sivas and the lack of a strong surrounding context become primary design inputs.

The outer layer is clad with locally sourced travertine stone, grounding the building in the material culture of the region. This travertine façade is inspired by the rhythmic structure of the Anatolian Ozan tradition, translating repetition and variation into an architectural language. In this way, the façade functions not only as a climatic filter but also as a cultural surface that reflects local identity. At the roof level, solar energy–collecting tiles are integrated as an environmental strategy. These tiles contribute to on-site energy production while maintaining a familiar architectural scale and appearance, allowing sustainable technology to merge seamlessly with the building’s overall expression.

At the heart of the project, a central promenade acts as a connective spine that brings rural greenery into the rigid urban grid. This linear public space transforms the municipality from a closed institutional building into a walkable and accessible civic environment. Citizens are encouraged to pass through, pause, and engage with the building rather than merely approach it for formal purposes.

The interior organization is shaped around a series of courtyards that provide natural light, ventilation, and seasonal comfort. These courtyards create calm and human-scaled working environments for municipal employees, allowing them to experience daylight, greenery, and open air during daily routines. At the same time, the courtyards function as informal social spaces that support interaction and well-being.

Overall, the project aims to reconcile the tension between Sivas’s rural past and urban future. By acting as both a climatic shelter and a social platform, the municipality building fosters a warm, participatory atmosphere and reinforces the role of civic architecture as a shared public stage.