CU-LTURE is an innovative architectural approach that connects the traditional coppersmithing heritage of Kahramanmaraş with new generations while addressing the city’s pressing social and spatial challenges such as unemployment, low education rates, and lack of green space. The project aims to empower the local unemployed through one-month copper training workshops and permanent production areas, providing long-term job opportunities and skill development.
In addition to its educational goals, the project also considers users’ daily needs by including functional spaces such as a nurse’s room, dining hall, and resting areas. These features transform the hub into a livable environment that supports both work and well-being.
The public building within the site serves as a vibrant social core. It includes exhibition halls, a conference room, and café-like areas where people can socialize, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration. Memory boards located in the outdoor area invite visitors to interact physically with the space and leave personal marks, creating a living memory. Moreover, sculptures of significant historical figures made of copper are exhibited in the open air, preserving the cultural memory of the city and celebrating its heritage.
The form of the building is shaped by two dominant axes in the site and the orientation of the sun. Small perforations in the copper façade allow sunlight to filter inside throughout the day, producing a dynamic play of light and shadow. This transforms the interior experience and turns time itself into a design element.
The façade design also fully integrates with the overall concept. With copper panels that create a semi-transparent layer, the building resembles an exhibition visible from the outside, turning the structure itself into a piece of art. CU-LTURE offers a sustainable living space where craft, education, and community converge, bridging the past and the future through architecture.
