MASEY / Şeymanur Özselçuk
Underground pearl
Mustafapaşa Village, located in the heart of Cappadocia, offers a unique blend of historical and cultural heritage, marked by the coexistence of Ottoman and Greek architecture. The village’s stone houses, churches, and monasteries, together with traditional arts and crafts, reflect its rich multi-ethnic past. Architectural elements, local traditions, language, and cuisine further emphasize the deep-rooted cultural interactions. Geologically, the village is shaped by volcanic tuff formations, which contribute to its distinctive topography.
In my project, I aim to unite differences and enable people to experience the past. I want them to empathize with history, feeling it both mentally and emotionally. My concept is inspired by the hollow spaces that are widespread in this region. These spaces were originally living quarters created by Christians in ancient times and were later adapted by people to meet various needs. Depending on their purposes, new units were either carved out of the rock or constructed using stones.The design includes a structure embedded within the mountain, consisting of two floors for accommodation, one floor for a restaurant, and a fully carved panoramic museum. On each floor, users can experience the feeling of being in a cave through the carved surfaces. I especially focused on intensifying this concept in the design of the rooms. The windows on the restaurant floor provide not only a visual connection between the restaurant and the museum but also create a sense of unity. The museum, on the other hand, recreates the exchange period through screens and objects. The feeling of confinement and tightness is also physically experienced in certain parts of the museum. Additionally, the museum includes miniature carpet-making workshops and traditional motif design workshops. These areas allow visitors to spend time engaging with history and provide them with an opportunity to connect with the past on a deeper level. The main structural system in my project is reinforced concrete, while the mountain itself supports the carved spaces.
In summary, this project is designed as both an experience that encourages empathy with the past and a symbol that carries the unique heritage of Mustafapaşa into the future through modern architectural principles. Every detail of the project aims to bring differences together, enabling people to feel the past while also offering a vision for the future. 
