Bilkent Architecture

Spring 2020

2020 fall was a challenging time for all. Amid the global pandemic of COVID-19, the community of Bilkent Architecture Department displayed great vigor and solidarity. Studios adopted to the new conditions swiftly. With the self-determination of our students and faculty, Bilkent Department of Architecture continued to produce high quality design studies.

Second year studios took on a canonical design problem by studying the work and domestic life together. A topic which is more relevant than ever with the current pandemic condition.

Third year studios continued a study that was initiated before the bandemic and worked on a housing problem in San Vito Bari.

Fourth year studios studied on an extremely challenging site around the Roman amphitheater of Ankara.

2x2: Spaces for Living and Working

In Fall 2020 the ARCH 201 studios explored the relationship of domestic life and work. The current condition of life as a result of the global condition of Covid-19 made us experience unusual living and working conditions. The boundaries between domestic life and work became blurry, both in terms of time and space. We hope that this condition is temporary. Nonetheless this break in the usual flow of life is an opportunity for self-reflection and questioning the way we think about architecture.

2020 Fall Instructors: Zühre Sü Gül (course coordinator), Ahmet Ünveren, Deniz Üçer Erduran, Ezgi İşbilen, M. Pınar Uz Baki, Yiğit Acar

Design the Community: San Vito (Bari)

For the Term 2020-2021 ARCH 301 focused on the design of a sub-urban settlement,in San Vito, Bari Italy. The area is conceived as an opportunity to experience and experiment a set of basic architectural concepts and at the same time to challenge a real context in the aim to recompose and refashion its texture.

2020 Fall Instructors: Selen Özge Duran(course coordinator), Mark Frederickson, Giorgio Gasco, Berna Tanverdi

Bentderesi District: A place for Culture, Learning and Revitalization.

For the area below the Ankara Castle and surrounding the existing archeological site consisting of a roman amphitheater and ruins. This involves several types of buildings with supportive programs each sustaining activity towards elevating culture and associated activities, tourism, and existing activities which can be enhanced or improved by certain built environment interventions. One such programmatic building or architectural place could be designed for enlightening and enriching the understanding of travellers and local people of the unique history, heritage and spirit of the place and to provide a place of reflection and understanding.

2020 Spring Instructors: Glenn Terry Kukkola (course coordinator), Zeynep Öktem, Jesus Espinoza Alvarez, Meral Özdengiz Başak, Wren Frederickson