SCHWELLE ZONE / DİLARA AKŞEHİRLİOĞLU

The Schwelle Zone: An Urban Threshold

Situated within the deep historical fabric of Sivas, the Schwelle Zone proposes a radical reinterpretation of the Municipal and Urban Center. Moving beyond the conventional archetype of a government building as a static, authoritarian wall, this project reimagines the municipal structure as a permeable interface—a living bridge between the state and the public.

The design is conceptually rooted in the transformation of Sivas’s traditional “Crown Gate” (Taç Kapı). Rather than relying on historical ornamentation, the project abstracts this heritage into a contemporary tectonic language. The result is a series of crystalline masses carved by monumental voids, creating a dynamic interplay of depth and transparency. Drawing from Walter Benjamin’s philosophy of the Schwelle (threshold), the site functions not as a dividing boundary, but as a transitional zone where public flows freely permeate the bureaucratic core.

Architecturally, the building embraces the city through faceted, glass-clad volumes that reflect the surrounding urban life and green axes. This transparency dissolves the hierarchy typically associated with administration. The circulation strategy fosters a continuous loop, guiding users from the public relations and press zones on the ground floor up to the administrative levels, while integrating community-focused functions like the “MakerSpace” to encourage active participation.

By prioritizing accessibility and visual connection, the Schwelle Zone stands as an active stage for urban life. It rejects the solidity of exclusion in favor of democratic openness, creating a symbolic city gate that does not intimidate, but rather embraces the user, transforming the “urban threshold” into a space of collective belonging.