An analytical tool for the evaluation of 'open building' projects

Abstract

Housing, being one of the most important concerns of architecture, has always been an unsolved problem for researchers, especially for architects. This judgement is also valid for the Turkish case. In this work, ‘Open Building’ approach, based on the main principles of leveling, adaptability, variety, and sustainability is proposed as a solution to the quality and quantity related housing problems in Turkey. Examining the principles, strategies, and methods employed in the applied ‘Open Building’ projects, an analytical tool is developed to encourage the application of these principles, strategies, and methods in the Turkish context. The two-staged analytical tool evaluates the previous ‘Open Building’ projects’ decisions according to their success in satisfying the ‘Open Building’ issues, and the applicability of these decisions to the housing projects in Turkey, in terms of legal and technical restrictions. Aimed at guiding the designers, who are to apply the ‘Open Building’ principles to the housing initiatives in Turkey, the analytical tool firstly helps to select the best ‘Open Building’ applications, and then evaluates them within the legal and technical framework to determine their suitability to Turkey. In this thesis, the two projects, Next 21 Experimental Housing in Japan, and Voorburg Renovation Project in the Netherlands are evaluated according to the developed tool to demonstrate its operation and benefits in the design phase of the housing process. As a result of this study, it is concluded that ‘Open Building’ principles can be applicable to the Turkish context, and the developed tool would be helpful in implementing these principles to the housing designs.