Scholarly Publications - Architecture

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11693/115571

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Open Access
Enhancing collaborative learning in architectural design education through human-computer interaction and game-based learning
(Education and research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, 2025) Sağlam, Bilge; Şenyapılı Özcan, Burcu
This study uses a game-based learning approach to develop a collaborative environment for basic design in architectural education and examines its impacts. The foundational concept of the virtual environment is the playground, defined by Walz (2010) as a bounded space where play occurs. The virtual playground is introduced to basic design students based on the CIX game (1996), developed from a geometry-based system by architect Fabien Vienne (1925-2016). CIX is reconstructed in a multi-user virtual playground with Simlab Soft simulation software, facilitating interactive and collaborative design environments. The VR-enhanced environment is adapted to facilitate the playground for a basic architectural design platform. To assess the effectiveness of the participatory design experience proposed with the multi-user environment, the Collaborative Learning Assessment (CLA) (Muñoz-Carril et al., 2021) and Game Experience Survey (Martin-Dorta et al., 2014) are conducted. The findings suggest that a game-based collaborative design environment offers significant potential for immersive, interactive, and impactful learning experiences and can be an effective tool for basic design studios.
Open Access
Wolf house: a thrice-finished prefab midcentury home
(Taylor & Francis Inc., 2025) İşbilen, Ezgi
Renaissance humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti (1406–1472) lists finishing as one of the three principles for achieving concinnitas, which denotes the skillful joining of parts. The mutual agreement and harmony between parts secure a “beautiful whole” to which nothing can be added, subtracted, or altered except for worse. When wholeness is equated with a complete and finished building, the principle can be interpreted in favor of thoroughly designed, one-of-a-kind works. However, finishing is less a matter of material production of a building than setting up geometric and formal relationships that are so crystallized that one can observe them even when a building is incomplete. The concept gained unprecedented significance in modern times with the rise of systems thinking. Prefabricated building systems with standard-size elements and standardized joints, which limit how those elements are put together, lock certain geometric relationships in place before any construction activity commences. Building systems that prescribe certain formal relationships without designating the final form or building size makes finishing a potent tool. This essay traces the Renaissance concept of finishing onto a mid-twentieth century kit-of-parts house built around 1951 with adaptations of the commercially available General Panel system and modified twice by different architects decades apart following an “intelligent relationship” of parts.
Open Access
Can a project survive obsolescence? Lessons from Fun Palace and Kawasaki
(Routledge, 2026-01-08) Temizel, Ensar
As one of the leading figures in cybernetics, Gordon Pask (1928–1996) has had an extensive impact in the field of architecture through his close connections with architecture and design communities in the UK and the USA from the early 1960s onwards. He promoted his ideas in architecture on several occasions, and his collaboration with Cedric Price (1934–2003) is one of the most prominent exemplars of this strong relationship. The paper offers a comparative reading of two particular instances of their joint work, the frequently-cited Fun Palace project of the 1960s and the little-known Kawasaki project of the 1980s, to frame a discussion on the ability of architectural attempts that are driven by computer technologies to escape obsolescence despite what is dictated otherwise by the nature of technological progress. It posits that, rather than being conceived as incorporating the cutting-edge computer technologies of their time, these pro-jects enjoy enduring significance and relevance stemming from a deep exploration of human-machine relationship based on certain cybernetic ideas that aim for genuine interaction between buildings and their users.
Open Access
Settlements and displacement in Turkey: struggle and rejuvenation
(University of California Press * Journals Division, 2025-09-01) Günhan, Aslıhan
Embargo
Objective and subjective acoustic assessment of music halls with passive variable systems: a case of Bilkent Music Hall
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-06-05) Altun, Aslı; Sü Gül, Zühre
In concert halls, the need for variable acoustics arises from the diverse requirements of different musical performances. Previous research suggests that incorporating passive variable acoustic solutions can help venues adapt to various musical needs. This research explores the challenges and potentials of passive variable techniques in symphonic music halls, focusing on Bilkent Music Hall in Ankara − the main venue for Bilkent Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and an early example of variable acoustic systems in Türkiye. Acoustical field measurements were conducted within the hall to test different configurations of passive variable system. Later, subjective data is gathered through questionnaires and online surveys conducted with BSO members, faculty and students from the Bilkent Music Conservatory. Excessive low-frequency absorption is identified as a major acoustical problem of the hall. Thus, the final step involves acoustical simulations to evaluate a proposed design intervention aimed at improving acoustical comfort for different music performances. The hall's existing variable acoustic system is investigated across a variety of musical performances, including chamber music, orchestral music, orchestral music with choir and vocal accompaniment, solo recitals, and occasional speech-oriented activities. This analysis provides valuable insights into musicians’ acoustical experiences and preferences regarding the music hall. The objective and subjective findings are then compared with precedent cases from around the world with variable acoustics systems.
Open Access
Informative integration of modern spolia in public landscapes
(KARE Publishing,Kare Yayincilik, 2025) Üçer Erduran, Deniz
Spolia refers to repurposing components from older buildings into new constructions, a concept with a rich history. Traditionally, unique components were the primary focus; however, this approach remains relevant today for mass-produced components. By diverting materials from waste streams, spolia preserves their inherent properties and facilitates the rapid transfer of stylistic features in the modern world. When a 1970s movie theatre in Moscow, Russia, was demolished in 2019, a substantial amount of steel was recycled, while brick and concrete were sent to landfills. This study investigates potential spolia options as an alternative to demolition. The research involved documenting the building's urban and architectural context through a literature review and on-site visual documentation conducted during the demolition. This process also aimed to uncover the history related to the production and characteristics of the materials used in the building. The study focused on estimating the building's material stock and identifying the approximate quantity of reusable items to strengthen the rationale for potential spolia execution. The research emphasizes developing a design alternative that utilizes the identified materials within a public landscape. This approach includes adding data labels to inform the community about the source of the materials. The significance of this study lies in providing a valuable record of this lost building. It also offers a proposal that contributes to the community's memory through the materials of a demolished neigh- borhood structure while highlighting the importance of recovering materials from waste streams.
Open Access
Neoliberalisation through naming: place naming and shifting modes of housing production in Ankara
(Liverpool University Press, 2024-08-19) Bayatlı, Semire; Batuman, Bülent
Place names play an important role in neoliberal urban development. The naming of a housing estate, especially a gated community, is instrumental in constructing the image and intended sense of community of an estate. This paper scrutinises the naming of housing estates in Incek, one of the most prestigious suburbs of Ankara, Turkey. While development in the area began with middle-class housing cooperatives, today Incek is marketed as an idyllic landscape embodying high-rise luxurious gated communities. We show that the naming of the housing estates not only reflects but also contributes to the shift in the mode of production from housing cooperatives to gated communities built and marketed by large-scale companies. Additionally, the name Incek has come to refer to not only the official boundaries of the neighbourhood but a larger territory, which illustrates the unfixed nature of toponyms in terms of location. Finally, the paper shows that there is a reciprocal relationship between the toponym and the image of a particular district, which can affect the functions and activities that flourish within it.
Open Access
Design process in collaboration with archaeology: contemporary exhibition of a Hellenistic statue
(Routledge, 2024-12-19) Erduran, Deniz Üçer; Yolaçan, B.
Archaeological artefacts in museums serve as artistic displays and provide visitors with insights into the historical context of their discovery. Some finds offer direct, observable information, while others convey more subtle, context-dependent representations, such as iconography. This study focuses on identifying the iconography of a recently discovered Hellenistic statue through an analysis of archaeological literature. The gathered information was then used to evaluate the effectiveness of the display of similar statues in museums. Key factors considered included appropriate chronological placement, spatial organization of the surrounding environment, emphasis on hierarchy, visibility from all angles, clarity of the iconographic elements, and the inclusion of explanatory text. Based on these criteria, several display design alternatives were proposed, with one selected and implemented for the exhibition of the newly unearthed statue. The effectiveness of the approach was validated through the assembly, and the adaptability of the method to similar exhibition design scenarios was discussed.
Open Access
The stabilization of a hellenistic city square (plaza) at the Kınık Höyük archeological site, Niğde province, Türkiye
(MDPI, 2024-08-30) Erduran, Deniz Üçer; Yolacan, Burak; d'Alfonso, Lorenzo
In recent years, at the K & imath;n & imath;k H & ouml;y & uuml;k archeological site in Ni & gbreve;de province in Turkey, a city square (plaza) located in the town's acropolis was discovered. Context and spatial finds indicate that this stone-paved plaza dates to the Hellenistic era. It is made of a large cobblestone masonry structure made of local amorphous units that were fixed only with compacted earth. The conservation plan concentrated on enclosing the unbound free edges by using new pavement and a retaining wall to stop the ongoing decay because the plaza had already lost its integrity before the discovery. To distinguish between the original application and modern interventions, new cladding was designed and installed lower than the ancient pavement's level using smaller stones from the same source. Additionally, a retaining wall was planned and built to be plastered to achieve a plain surface, where the pavement's texture created contrast and highlighted neat craftsmanship. For this consolidation application, a hydraulic lime-based binder was combined with local earth for compatibility with the older application. The application's suitability and durability were demonstrated after it was observed for a few years while being subjected to atmospheric impacts without any protection. Therefore, the examination confirmed that the suggested method is safe to apply in situations where similar stabilization needs arise.
Open Access
Urban mining potential in demolition and design for innovative material reuse within a circular model
(Universitat Politecnica de Valencia * Editorial UPV, 2024-12-17) Erduran, Deniz Üçer
A significant Soviet-era building from the 1970s in Moscow was demolished in 2019 after being excluded from the heritage list and left abandoned for an extended period. Constructed with bricks, precast slab panels, and a steel roof, the building underwent rapid destruction by machinery. The metals were sent to a recycling facility, while the concrete-brick mixture was transported to a dumping site, where it was partially stored and landfilled. The demolition process was monitored daily and documented through photographs, forming the initial phase of the current research. This research focused on creating an urban mining strategy to enhance the circularity of materials within an innovative architectural design. Detailed observations were made regarding the unit types and bonding style, the characteristics of the precast panels and jointing technique, the materials and fabrication of the trusses. This information was used to identify potential end-of-life applications for the materials within a circular model from around the world. The research identified a strategy that prioritized deconstruction and reuse, which included cutting and reshaping walls into new load-bearing blocks, slicing slab panels and reassembling them into perforated facades, and converting the trusses into cross-braced columns. Using 3D modelling, each stage of the proposed scenario—including the state of the components and their transformation into new architectural materials—was digitally visualized. Additionally, the necessary tools and processes for this transformation in a real-world context were determined. Finally, the innovative architectural appearance created from these repurposed materials, showcasing their rich composition and textures, was presented. The benefits of the proposed management strategy were highlighted, emphasizing the intrinsic and architectural value of the materials, as well as their positive environmental and social aspect.
Open Access
Robert G. Ousterhout (16 Ocak 1950- 23 Nisan 2023)
(İstanbul Üniversitesi, 2023-06-21) Çağaptay, Suna; Henry, Ayşe Belgin
Yakınlarınca bilinen adıyla Bob Ousterhout, 1950 yılında ABD’de Oregon’un Pendleton kasabasında Hollanda’dan göçmüş çok çocuklu bir ailenin ortanca çocuğu olarak doğdu. 1973 yılında Oregon Üniversitesi, Sanat Tarihi Bölümü’nde lisans derecesini tamamladı. Lisans derecesini tamamlarken 1970-1972 yılları arasında değişim programıyla Avusturya Viyana’daki Institute of European Studies’te bulundu. 1977 yılında Ohio’daki Cincinnati Üniversitesinde Sanat Tarihi programında yüksek lisans derecesini tamamladı. 1982 yılında, Slobodan Ćurčić danışmanlığında yazdığı ve Kariye Camii’ni incelediği ve yeniden yorumladığı teziyle doktora ünvanını aldı.
Open Access
The acoustical characterization of clay pots in Ottoman architecture through experimental and numerical analysis
(Acoustical Society of America, 2023-02-01) Atay, Gülnihan; Sü Gül, Zühre; Önen, O.
In medieval age, clay pots are utilized as multi-functional building elements serving not only for structural and ventilative purposes but also for the improvement of the acoustic qualities of the space. Although the medieval usage of acoustic pots is vaguely connected with the acoustic vessels of Vitruvius, their employment is also interpreted as cavity resonators as in the case of Süleymaniye Mosque. The 16th century edifice designed by Sinan the Architect Laureate is a significant example among its European counterparts with 224 clay pots embedded into its central dome. The present work aims to discuss the contribution of clay pots in acoustics of historical edifices focusing on Süleymaniye Mosque. In this study, a clay pot sample employed in the mosque is reproduced and impedance tube measurements are held. The results are then compared with finite element model simulations carried out to examine the effective frequency range of the clay pots. Finally, the data acquired from numerical simulations and the experimental measurements are applied in ray tracing simulations. The final results reinforce the contribution of clay pots on the improvement of sound energy decay rate measured after the final restorations within the mosque with repaired pots.
Open Access
Cognitive Comparison of design methods in the conceptual phase
(Sage Publications Ltd., 2023-07-12) Gürel, Adel; Şenyapılı Ozcan, Burcu
The initial phases of design, known as the conceptual design phases, are often associated with hand sketching, while parametric tools are reserved for the later, more developed stages of design. This paper examines the potentials of using parametric tools in the early design phases in comparison to widely utilized hand sketching. It is intended to find out the impacts of using parametric tools on the cognitive behaviors and the satisfaction of self-assessment levels of the designers. An experimental study was conducted with a group of graduate architecture students using Grasshopper, the findings of which are analyzed through a content-oriented coding scheme, together with protocol analyses. Significant differences are found between cognitive behaviors of the participants in using hand sketching and Grasshopper. The findings show that all of the participants consider Grasshopper as a useful conceptual design tool that may be utilized in early design phases, in contrast to its wide popularity in the late stages of design.
Open Access
Acoustical footprint of the traditional turkish baths in historic settings
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2024) Bora Özyurt, Z.; Sü Gül, Zühre
The Turkish bath structure (hamam) is one of the key typologies in Anatolian architecture. In addition to its main “bathing” function, Turkish baths are chosen as the main venue for social organizations in the Ottoman period, with eating and dancing accompanied by live music. Thus, the construction of baths, in various sizes, was prioritized then and still holds its place in the social and cultural life of Anatolia. This study investigates the authentic acoustical characteristics of Turkish baths, over four selected baths in Bursa, Turkey; Karamustafa (15th c.), Yeni Kaplıca (16th c.), Kaynarca (17th c.), and Tahirağa (19th c.). Room impulse responses are collected through acoustical field measurements. Acoustical simulations are utilized to experiment with the materials, which reflect the historical origins, as well as used to test the effects of different humidity levels on acoustical parameters. The objective parameter analysis includes EDT, T20, T30, C80, D50, and STI assessments. Relationships between objective parameters and geometrical attributes are investigated. Lower T30 and higher STI values are obtained with historical plaster in comparison to the up-to-date conditions. Controlled analysis in decreasing the relative humidity resulted in lower T20 and T30 values, consequently higher STI values. Obtained data are discussed considering the usage of male and female baths, traditional activities as well as the nature of the sound sources.
Open Access
Robert G. Ousterhout (January 16, 1950- April 23, 2023)
(Istanbul University Press, 2023) Çağaptay, Suna; Henry, Ayşe Belgin
Open Access
Striving for wellbeing digitally in the city amidst the pandemic: solidarity through Twitter in Ankara
(Elsevier Ltd, 2023-05-25) Sak, Segah; Yavuzyiğit, Bilge Begüm
This article elaborates on the utilization of social media for practices of interaction in the city during the COVID 19 pandemic and discusses its potential in providing for the wellbeing of urban communities. During the early periods of the pandemic when preventative measures were taken intensively to decrease contamination, com munities lacked physical relationships with and within cities. Interactions realized in physical spaces in normal conditions were compensated with practices in social media. While such shift can be perceived to have decreased the meaning of cities in the pursuit of daily life and interactions, efforts which were localized upon physical human settlements yet were realized in the digital realm seem to have opened alternative paths for connection among residents. Within this context, we explore Twitter data through three hashtags which were promoted by the local government of Ankara and used densely by the residents in the early periods of the pandemic. Considering that social connection is one of the fundamental enablers of wellbeing, we aim to provide insights into the strive for wellbeing in times of crises where ruptures in physical interaction prevail. The patterns we observe in the expressions that gather around the selected hashtags shed a light on the ways the cities, their people and local governments are positioned in the struggles pursued in digital realm. Our findings support our arguments that social media has significant potential in contributing to the wellbeing of people especially in times of crisis, local governments can increase the quality of life of their citizens with modest actions, and the cities hold significant meanings for people as loci of communities and thus of wellbeing. Through the discussions we pursue, we seek to contribute to the stimulation of research, policies, and community actions that aim at the enhancement of wellbeing of urban individuals and communities.
Open Access
Fluid futures of multi-layered histories: many lives of north brother island, New York City
(Universidad de Oviedo, 2023-07-29) Erdoğan, Meriç
The transience of populations reflects itself as the life cycle of the buildings. Constantly changing dynamics in the entities of a building also constantly effects the fate of the structure. Even with the proper treatment, the loss of its compatibility in functions with the deterioration of a structure becomes inevitable with the forces of various humanitarian, natural and ecological crises. The examined case that has experienced several phases of ephemerality in its lifetime is the North Brother Island in NYC that people abandoned more than half a century ago. In its many lives, the island has been a quarantine island, the site of one of the deadliest maritime accidents, a last resort housing solution for WWI veterans, and a forced rehabilitation center for young drug addicts. Today the island is occupied with a few abandoned public buildings, which are remnants of its troublesome past, and innumerable plants that have taken over the land after everyone left. And now it is facing its proclaimed sinking that is going to be happening in 100 years. This project is for the treatment of a more than human community in the isolated jungle off the coast of the dense cosmopolitan NYC. In an era defined by the environmental and climatic crises, architecture's long-standing obsession with monumental and immortal buildings has to leave a way for a humbler approach intending to provide habitats for more than one entity in the cycle of life. The design method to answer this problem is to consciously re-creating places on the island by using de-constructed materials from the former buildings of the island with the addition of biodegradable ones. By their dissolving in nature after the sinking, only the skeletons of the structure will remain as a ruin, but also as a new home for underwater life. In conclusion, this approach envisions a safe environment for nature and humans through the different stages of the island until the inevitable yet not to be feared sinking of the island, which will further become the starting point of the new urban infrastructure of underwater life.
Open Access
Bourgeois wealth, architecture, and urbanization: The Azaryan family in Late Ottoman Istanbul
(Istanbul Research Institute, 2023-11-08) Günhan Çalışkan, Aslıhan
Istanbul’s urbanization in the late nineteenth century was highly influenced by private investors and land commodification practices. This article focuses on one of these investors, the Azaryan family, and particularly Bedros and Josef Azaryan, and explores how they participated in the capitalistic urbanization of Istanbul. Through an examination of their investments in Ayazpaşa (Gümüşsuyu) and in Büyükdere, the article unveils different complexities of urban modernization, land commodification, and building construction. Focusing on the Azaryan waterside mansion (yalı) in Büyükdere and the Azaryan Palas in Ayazpaşa, this article positions the Azaryan family as influential actors capable not only of representing their wealth through architecture but also of negotiating with the state to resolve construction disputes. It therefore sheds light on themes such as patronage, finance, visual power, land tenure, and architectural labor. Working through an array of sources such as tendering documents, embassy correspondences, private notebooks, maps, and survey drawings, the article portrays the polyvocal and fragmented dynamics of capitalistic urbanization in late Ottoman Istanbul.
Open Access
Desert dreams and techno-utopian nightmares: The complex history of California city and the colonial gaze towards the desert
(Taylor & Francis Inc., 2023-10-10) İşbilen, Ezgi
Despite being some of the harshest environments to design for and inhabit, deserts are considered some of the most malleable in our imagination. Countless military bases, proving grounds, gunneries, and practice fields that simulate other locales prove that in military imagination, deserts are nondescript proxy spaces waiting to be filled with the character of whatever location they are to imitate. The developers’ imagination is not far behind. Through a historical case study of California City, an ambitiously planned but only partially built desert development project, and unpacking of the terms “desert” and “wasteland,” this essay examines the colonial gaze towards the desert that often shapes our perceptions of this unique environment and exposes the fallacies in our thinking that lead us to imagine deserts as a blank slate waiting to be transformed. The paper also highlights the dangers of overconfidence in technology to create techno-utopias and the need to acknowledge the reality of the desert’s harsh environment in any planning or development.
Open Access
Data and discourse: an assessment of Taksim urban design competition in terms of populism and participation
(Routledge, 2023-03-08) Acar, Yiğit ; Demet, Gönülnur; Kaynar, Melek
This research presents perspectives on urban design competitions from both professionals and the general public by utilizing two sets of data: a review of professional discussions and social media commentaries on the competition. The international urban design competition for Taksim Square, held during the global pandemic lockdowns, generated a substantial record of the process, offering a rare opportunity to revisit existing literature and gain new insights into urban design competitions. The findings are evaluated through the framework of participation and populism.