Project Narrative – The Literary Nexus-Furkan Aydoğdu
This project was born out of my desire to reinterpret the cultural identity of my hometown, Kahramanmaraş, through the lens of contemporary architecture and social innovation. The Literary Nexus is a multifunctional cultural and production center that aims to transform literature from a static heritage into a dynamic medium of creativity, entrepreneurship, and collective experience.
My main intention was not just to design a building, but to create a spatial network an architectural framework where ideas, narratives, and interactions converge. Drawing from the city’s strong literary legacy, the project integrates open and semi-open public spaces to foster collaboration among diverse user groups, including students, creative, academics, entrepreneurs, local citizens, and tourists.
The spatial experience is defined by a continuous transition axis that connects upper and lower levels, symbolizing not only physical circulation but also social inclusivity. Functionally, the project includes a digital publishing lab, co-working and office spaces, a conference hall, library, VR/AR immersive area, and several informal gathering zones. Each of these spaces was designed to promote layered interactions, enabling users to engage in multiple ways from passive observation to active production.
The fragmented plan layout emerged from site-specific strategies, including pedestrian flow analysis, urban void utilization, and axial relationships with existing structures. This led to a form that is both porous and expressive. The dynamic geometry of the buildings defined by angled façades creates a modern architectural language, while also responding to solar orientation and interior lighting quality.
Material choices were guided by simplicity and sustainability: exposed concrete and low-emission glass dominate the palette, establishing a balance between rawness and transparency. These elements not only shape the visual identity of the project but also reinforce its environmental sensitivity.
Ultimately, The Literary Nexus is more than a cultural building it is an architectural statement that connects past and future, literature and innovation, individuals and community. Through this project, I aimed to design a living infrastructure where the act of storytelling evolves into shared knowledge, digital creativity, and cultural co-production.
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