#archescape

  A week before the final jury we started to get prepared for the final jury and in order to do this we had to revise our existing pre-jury project which was a very successful design. First of all we knew that we didn’t really have to change too much of our previous design especially the lower parts of the design. However we knew that the upper part should be changed, we at least needed a main entrance and also a more functional space for serve people more. In order to do this we first started with designing a new upper part with better new functions. We needed a place for different events to take place for different purposes so we decided that we needed a closed space for people to have events every season in a year. But we also wanted an entrance which provides an open area for people to spend their time for example for meetings or sitting and resting. So the first thing we designed was a triangular shaped entrance. We also figured that it should not be a solid hard ground for a large area so we placed a soiled part inside with lots of trees that can provide shadow and scenery so we ended up with that kind of an entrance we also placed sitting areas under the shadow of the trees. 

  The other improvement was the closed space. We created an events area with a building which has curtain rail walls and a angled roof for an interesting design that would attract people around. It also has a triangular form just like the previous design because we didn’t wanted to change our initial idea too much. Other than this two significant changes, our designed stayed the same. We added more street lines and arranged some of our vegetation in a better way but for the final jury we actually wanted to focus on our jury posters. They were our biggest problems in the previous jury, especially our plan and section drawings. So I can say that this was the shortest meeting for a model. However our posters were taking our time very much as well. They were not so hard but we struggled a little bit. Nevertheless we managed to finish everything in time.

TRACES OF TIME

Our posters for the jury

 On the December the 25th we had our pre-jury. The Jury was generally very successful for our group because the jury members actually very liked it. But of course there are some parts that we need to fix before the final jury. The biggest problem as we were told was the lack of entrances. We had 2 entrances for our design but the jury members thought that actually there was a need for more entrances to the design especially at the open exhibition area. 

 Another problem was the lack of some concepts for the usage of exhibition areas because we were told that they should have more purposes than just that one function for public to use. 

Preperation For Jury

 For the pre-jury of landscape design we decided to make a design which will serve as a exhibition area with multi-functional properties. We first created a pool as the center of our design. This pool is a references to the old pool which was at the back facade of the old shopping mall. The new pool which is quiet larger than the older one is there for creating an isolated world within the landscape. We imagined it as a passage way from the city and noise to the Botanical Park which is one of the few peaceful places in the city. Also around the pool there are some decorative plants with different colors and smells so we also aimed to create different senses for people as they experienced through the pool. 

 Between the pool and the cross road we decided to make an exhibition area which is semi open and for public use. this area along with the whole design consists of different geometrical shapes which are originated from triangles and hexagons but in free formal qualities. We did it like that because we wanted to create differentiation in our spaces. This variety helps us to create a original design. And for this area lastly we designed an entrance for the Atakule as well which looks like our exhibition area. 

 Under the pool our way to Botanical Park starts. First of all we lead people to a long staircase with huge tall tress surrounding the stairs. This creates a sense of suffocation and fear but it is also an isolated long journey which is an interesting experience for the visitors. This staircase then leads people to an open air way which creates a sense of surprise. People can watch the scene of the park from here and they also fell elevated and more relaxed, free. Then the way leads people to make a choice between 3 roads. the first option is going to the isolated resting areas. In there you feel lonely and in peace, you can relax and have an alone time. The second option is that you can go to the playground area of our design which is quiet the opposite of the first one. In this part you can socialize and have multiple activities such as biking and skating. It has a ground with different forms and levels, a great place to experience different activities. And the last road option is the closed exhibition area which is originally the old garden house of the Botanical Park. 

 We totally removed the old, damaged garden house and instead of it we placed a new area which is totally new and in our design style but also reminds you of the old garden house. we closed this area with a glass facade concept like it were a garden house. This place will held lots of exhibitions and will be open through all the seasons in a year unlike our other exhibition area. 

 We placed the trees according to our understanding of scenes and vistas. When we wanted people to see the botanical park we placed the trees lower or we used the small trees. But when we wanted to create an isolated or mysterious space we used long trees. Also we have lightnings in our formal order. So both in vertical and horizontal we have our interesting geometrical order.

For the next assignment we were assigned to make research and a presentation of a well known landscape design as groups. As the ArcheScape group, since our analysis topic was Site&Time we were assigned to -which we chose- Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washinton D.C., U.S.A. by the designer Maya Lin.

First of all we tried to understand the concept of her design and we found so many meanings in the simple looking memorial. We found how it only wants to show the importance of the loss of people and is not just a propaganda of American glory. When you look at the names you feel the loss and because of its reflective you see yourself and you face with the name and this just connects the past and the present perfectly. Also it was actually built for the returning veterans for them to find what happened to their friends and remember them. That is why the memorial is not in alphabetical order but in chronological order. So that it would be easier to find the people who died together. Moreover at the apex the start and finish date of the war writes and written names follow a circular path and this again brings past and present together. Lastly in the concept, the memorial reminds us of a healing scar as Maya Lin states. Also its reflecting surface reflects the National Mall’s green environment and that creates a never ending landscape.

One side of the monument points tho the Washington Monument and the other part points to the Lincoln Monument. As you saw earlier the memorial is in a v shape, it is actually a retaining wall and its surface is composed of black granite panels. Today it is on the Top 10 Americans Favorite Architecture list at the tenth rate and it attracts around 3 million people every year. And despite all the negative critics she got through the years her design is huge success. 

Lastly, I would like to show you our jury posters as the ArcheScape group to give you a one last better information.

 References 

1) http://prelectur(.)stanford.edu/lecturers/lin/images/3_9.jpg

2) http://c1038.r38.cf3(.)rackcdn.com/group1/building9147/media/04pb50p.jpg

Old Photographs of Atakule

As the Group ArcheScape, we finally have gotten our much needed photographs of Atakule from years 1966, 1976, 1988, 1999 and 2011. We will be studying on these records in the following days to prepare our project and poster.