A Community-Centric Educational Hub in Sahabiye
The studio investigates morphology as the primary driver for spatial relationships between form, function, and users. Through an iterative design process, students explore how spatial fragments and topographical conditions inform architectural decision-making. The methodology emphasizes the architectonics of production, requiring students to synthesize material systems and technological features into a cohesive spatial logic. Beyond formal exploration, the studio demands a critical engagement with the social and cultural dimensions of architecture. Design proposals must articulate a clear dialogue between human-scale ergonomics, universal accessibility, and environmental resilience, fostering an integrated understanding of architecture through the lenses of functional logic and site-specific adaptation. The core of this studio is the translation of the Köy Enstitüleri (Village Institutes) model into the dense urban fabric of the Sahabiye Neighborhood in Kayseri. In this context, the Pazarören Köy Enstitüsü serves as a foundational reference for the studio’s morphological and social explorations. Historically established through architectural competitions, Pazarören exemplifies an ‘integrated’ campus where functional fragments—such as the Main Administrative Building, workshops, cinema/theater halls, and multi-functional sports areas—were designed to foster a collective identity and local development. By examining Pazarören’s ‘learning through production’ (iş içinde eğitim) philosophy, students will adapt these historical values to the urban fabric of the Sahabiye Neighborhood. The challenge lies in translating Pazarören’s legacy of architectural originality and community-centric spatial organization into a contemporary urban education hub that prioritizes social recovery, user experience, and the cultural memory of the city.
Students will engage in the design of a thematic educational hub in Sahabiye, critically examining the interrelations between spatial configuration, functionality, and urban integration. A thematic educational hub is structured around a distinct pedagogical framework—such as vocational training, arts, or digital fabrication—which must shape both its architectural and programmatic elements. In this studio, the primary challenge is to translate the “learning through production” (iş içinde eğitim) philosophy of the Köy Enstitüleri into a sophisticated spatial logic. Students are expected to move beyond conventional classroom layouts, treating the educational hub as a high-performance machine for learning, making, and community interaction. The core of the challenge lies in Functional Morphology: how the specific requirements of a chosen theme (e.g., a digital fabrication lab, a textile workshop, or a culinary arts center) dictate the form and architectonics of the building. Students must investigate how “functional fragments”—the heavy-duty workshop, the quiet study area, and the social foyer—can be clustered or fragmented to create a cohesive architectural whole.
Course Instructors:
Assist. Prof. Ömer Devrim Aksoyak
Dr. Ahmet Türel
Ress. Assist. Ahmet Aslan
Ress. Assist. İlinur Can