LITERATURE VORTEX / Okan Doğan
This project is a Museum of Literature and Memory, designed to transform the deep literary heritage and historical texture of Kahramanmaraş into a spatial experience. Located in the Üngüt district, the structure draws inspiration from local cultural landmarks such as the ancient tumulus and historic water canals, reflecting their physical and conceptual traces in its architectural form.
The main exhibition area is placed below the entrance level, inviting visitors on a journey into the layers of memory embedded in the ground. This design choice not only emphasizes the museum’s proximity to the tumulus but also reinforces a sense of historical depth. At the entrance level, a welcoming courtyard and semi-open public spaces strengthen the building’s connection with the urban environment.
The museum program goes beyond traditional exhibition spaces, offering a library, temporary exhibition areas, and workshop spaces that foster diverse experiences of learning and creative production. Thus, the building functions not only as a museum that tells stories of the past but also as an active public hub supporting contemporary literary and cultural engagement.
By transforming local memory into an architectural narrative, this project aims to reveal the temporal layers of the site. Shaped by the traces of earth, water, and word, the museum reinterprets the cultural richness of Kahramanmaraş through a contemporary lens.
