LAB: Museum of Discovery / Şimal Koşmaz
Located in the developing Üngüt District of Kahramanmaraş, this museum sits at the intersection of an emerging urban fabric and a rich educational context. Surrounded by schools and in proximity to the university, the site is also marked by a distinctive tumulus and the mountainous forested landscape to the north elements that strongly influenced the architectural language of the project.
The museum’s design is rooted in the idea of creating an inclusive and innovative space that speaks to people from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. The fluid, curvilinear outer shell draws inspiration from the tumulus and the region’s topography, acting as a unifying canopy that envelops the programmatic volumes while opening up at the center to form a public plaza. This void serves as the heart of the project, an open, accessible gathering space illuminated by soft northern light and directly linked to pedestrian flows in the neighborhood.
Rather than imposing rigid boundaries, the sinuous walls promote intuitive circulation and soften spatial thresholds, encouraging users to explore and engage. The structural system combines reinforced concrete walls with a steel framework, enabling the organic roof form to gracefully span over the three main masses.
Functionally, the museum offers a diverse range of experiences: from conference halls and mechanical workshops to interactive labs for biology, ecology, archaeology, physics, and emerging technologies such as AR, VR, and AI. Children’s workshops, maker spaces, and a museum cafe and shop enhance its accessibility for all age groups. Split level exhibition zones are connected via ramps, ensuring continuity and flow, while vertical access is provided through stairs and elevators. One of the exhibition wings leads directly to the adjacent tumulus, where a simulated archaeological excavation area allows visitors to participate in discovery. 
