LAYERS

Located adjacent to Camiikebir, the Heritage Institute is developed through the Sub-Layers concept, which aims to uncover and reactivate the spatial, social, and cultural layers embedded within Kayseri’s urban fabric. The proposal is informed by a series of readings conducted at the city, human, space, and building scales, examining urban density, activity patterns, visibility, nodes, and third-place conditions. These investigations reveal the hidden relationships between heritage, public life, and everyday urban experience, forming the conceptual foundation of the project.

At the heart of the proposal lies the remains of the Melik Mehmet Gazi Madrasa, which are transformed into an archaeological workshop and excavation space. Rather than presenting the madrasa as a static historical object, the project reinterprets it as an active environment of research, production, and discovery, allowing visitors to engage directly with the process of uncovering heritage.

Inspired by the layered structure and tectonic character of Kayseri’s historic city walls, the vertical circulation system is embedded between a series of tectonic walls that contain circulation routes, exhibition spaces, viewpoints, and gathering areas. As users move through these layers, architecture becomes a sequence of discoveries, where movement and exhibition merge into a continuous spatial experience.

Light plays a central role in shaping this experience. Glass boxes and mirror boxes are strategically positioned throughout the building to bring daylight deep into the lower levels and connect spaces across different elevations. Rather than functioning solely as light wells, these elements create reflections, changing shadows, framed views, and moments of visual surprise throughout the day. The resulting play of light reinforces the perception of depth, revealing the building’s layered organization while continuously transforming the atmosphere of interior spaces.

The program is organized vertically as exhibition, society, and institute floors. The basement level accommodates exhibition spaces connected to the archaeological workshop, the ground floor functions as a civic layer designed as a contemporary third place, and the upper floor houses educational and research activities. Extending this social layer into the urban realm, part of the adjacent street is pedestrianized and integrated with a network of landscaped open and semi-open spaces. These interactive environments encourage gathering, learning, and informal encounters, transforming the project into a public platform where memory, knowledge, and everyday life intersect across multiple layers of the city.