“Kogniverse” – A Gateway to Cosmic Curiosity
Located in the heart of Kahramanmaraș, Kogniverse is a visionary educational complex that bridges the cognitive potential of youth with the vastness of space science. Rooted in a city known for its layered natural history and dynamic renewal after adversity, the project reimagines learning through planetary symbolism and cooperative spatial organization. It invites students and researchers alike to question not only what is above but what lies within — both the cosmos and themselves.
The architecture reflects this duality: a floating spherical planetarium hovers at the center like a celestial body in orbit, tethered to the earth with tension cables that create both spectacle and structural function. Beneath and around it, three interdependent buildings form a “mini town”: a long-span innovation hub, a street- corner administrative node, and the raised dome itself. The primary building hosts workshops, libraries, AI and robotics labs, and collaborative zones, all orbiting a central courtyard that adapts across seasons — ice-skating in winter, stargazing and performances in summer.
Materiality is controlled and symbolic. Glass, brushed metal, and local stone fuse to express technological precision while respecting local textures. Bridges, columns, and a terraced amphitheater integrate with the sloped topography, allowing the complex to breathe with its environment. The result is a composition that feels futuristic yet grounded — a habitat for minds to wander freely.
A day in Kogniverse — from a student’s eyes:
“I arrive with my friends just as sunlight grazes the dome. It’s always glowing — like a real planet caught in our gravity. Our workshop today is about simulating Martian soil. After, we cross the elevated bridge to the VR lab, where I pilot a virtual satellite. Some days we sit on the amphitheater steps eating lunch, other days we’re deep in AI code. Every corner of this schoolfeels alive, like it’s thinking with us. I don’t just study science here. I live it.”
