Hazırlayan: Heval Zeliha Yüksel Mimar / Architect
ÇOK SAYIDA BAŞARILI PROJENIN SAHIBI KREATIF MIMARLIK, LA ŞARAPÇILIK ÜRETIM TESISI VE MAHZENI, IÇIN ŞIIR GIBI BIR PROJE ÜRETTI. PROJE DIKKATIMIZI CEPHESINDE KULLANILAN DOĞAL TAŞ ILE ÇEKMIŞ OLSA DA SONRASINDA IHTIŞAMLI SADELIĞI ILE KENDISINE HAYRAN BIRAKTI. PROJELERI GIBI HAYATTAKI DURUŞU ILE DE PEK ÇOK MESLEKTAŞIMI VE BENI KENDISINE HAYRAN BIRAKAN KREATIF MIMARLIK KURUCU ORTAKLARINDAN AYDAN VOLKAN ILE SON DÖNEM PROJELERI VE ÜRETTIKLERI MIMARLIK ÜZERINE KONUŞTUK:
We made our last interview with you about the Atakoy Sheraton Otel project for Natura at November, 2009. Since then, it has been a pleasure witnessing the success of Kreatif, even from a distance. Could you tell us a bit about your projects and innovations in the recent years?
Well, it has been quite a while since that interview. The number and the volume of our projects have increased considerably in the past six years. We always showed great interest in the tourism structure. When we first started engaging in architectural activities, there were hotels constructed with a lack of architectural identity and numerous rooms in large cities like Istanbul or southern holiday destinations apart from a few exceptions. During the process of tourism structure planning when we had our interview on the Atakoy Sheraton Hotel, we have completed the architectural and interior fit out projects of five different hotels of which four of them were located in Istanbul. Our primary concern in every hotel project was to ensure the identity of the structure to be evaluated as an irreplacable goal to be achieved, instead of just an instrument for the hotel management. When we take a look at the completed projects, i can say that the identity of the architectural design coincides with the general concept of the hotel.
Other than touristic structures, the campus of Piri Reis University which has started its service in 2014, awarded with a certificate of compliance from BREEAM Excellent, was our final project where we worked fondly and meticolously even though it kept us really busy to say the least. The Koc University Health Sciences Campus was one of the projects where we placed a great emphasis and learned a lot in terms of health structure design. The first phase of the project started its service in 2015 and the second one is about to be completed soon. In 2015, the construction process for the İncek Health Complex, belonging to the Losev Foundation was completed. Medam Medical Center of the American Hospital in the Baghdad Street is now completed and started its service.
Zekeriyakoy Ormanada and Nestorakoy project in Ortakoy are both completed and come to life.
Our BAB Plaza office space located in Kagithane is about to be finished. Three of our projects resulted in the Buyaka building as part of a fit-out plan. In 2015, we began the construction process for the TAO Office Tower situated in Istanbul Financial Center, which we have won the project through a competition in 2011.
Except for the examples i’ve mentioned above, the design processes for our projects consisting of offices, hotels, hospitals, student wellness centers and educational structures are still in progress.
Out of your final projects, LA Wines is extraordinary. Thank you. Our readers probably know the three concepts i always put emphasis on: Architecture, craftsmanship and localness. You can find all these notions in your project plus you integrated esthetics through the vision of Kreatif Architects. Could you tell us about your project within the scope of these concepts?
First of all, thank you for your appreciation, your observations are on point. We believe that in such geography, even the slightest touch of a change requires a meticulous approach. In fact it’s a two-storey building complex, composed of a wine tasting area on aboveground level and a cellar underground. We designed the cellar underground to meet climatic conditions with minimum energy. With the help of surveying, the cellar has a facade left outdoors and on the top of that, there are wine tasting and sales units. We tried to set the balance between open, semi-open and outdoor spaces. Therefore you either pass through wide rakes or awnings at the terrace before entering building. Along with the fact that the building opens out panoramically onto the vineyard, we wanted to benefit from the beautiful view. In this way, the visitors will have the chance to watch the vineyard, tasting their wines where they have just toured around. As for the cellar, we designed it as minimal as possible considering the sanitary conditions. The most important feature of the building is the transparent floors visually connecting the two storeys. Thereby the visitors coming for the wine tasting can see the cellar below and on the contrary, the visitors of the cellar can feel the presence of another dimension above.
When i first saw the photos of the project, i wanted to walk between those vineyards in company with the setting sun and sit on that beautiful porch. It aroused that feeling for me. What was your primary desire before embracing the project?
We haven’t designed a building in this function before. When i travel, i visit wineries and vineyards because of my personal interests in them. So i was thrilled when we first got the project. The time when me and Evren Yıldırım; my project manager friend who helped me a lot through the designing process, first saw the vineyards and the land where the building will be constructed, we were extremely impressed yet worried at the same time. How to position this building and how to bring it to life in such an incredible natural environment? In the first phases of the project following these questions, our minds were set; our primary purpose was to design a building emphasising on peacefulness and quietness, a modestly designed low-rise building evoking the aforementioned feelings. Now when i walk around the vineyards and look at the building, i can see the pertinence of our decision in the first phase of the project.
So let’s get down to the positive developments following your project…
After our project to be taken part in international publications, we have received an invitation from Sicily. We will be designing a tasting facility and a cellar for a wine producer there in 2016. Let’s see what those vineyards will whisper to our ear.
It’s adorable. We are looking forward to hear the results from you. We see that natural equipments are being used. Where did you get the natural stones?
We tried to obtain main materials like stones and woods from nearby local sources as much as possible. Besides, there are new production techniques allowing low maintenance on nature compatible products. All the wood materials were provided from the nearby forest management facility and the stones came from the Urla region.
You’ve said you delivered the natural stones from Urla. Could you tell us a bit about the natural stone patterns at the facade?
We worked with highly skilled and competent stonemasons. Craftspeople really expands the horizon of the architects for the projects in this scale. We asked them to create regional stone wall patterns. The stonemasons showed us samples from Urla, Alacati and Birgi. When i went down there to see them, the stonemason told me the story behind each pattern. I’m not sure whether it’s from the story he told me but i was quite fond of the Birgi pattern and the story behind it. However it was affecting the construction process in terms of manufacturing. That’s why we sticked with the Alacati pattern.
Our magazine is mainly about natural stones, so i have a question i often ask people: Our country is rich in marble resources. Do you think that this valuable material is being used enough and are the local products appreciated enough? Do you tend to use natural stones?
Of course we do. But when the scale of the projects expand, the cost factor becomes really vital and at this point, the areas of natural stone usage starts to change. Currently, we are trying to go for local natural stone products as much as possible, especially in Fit-Out and interior design projects.
What’s the natural stone you prefer to use the most?
While many of them have my affection and i know it’s a cliché but Bazalt still stands out for me among all.
I always ask the architects i interview about the local or global designer and/or architects s(he) follows or cares about. If you have any, i’d appreciate if you have shared with us…
Locally and globally, there are plenty of them. Though there are one local and one global example standing out amongst the others with their harmonious perspective of life and architectural style. Nevzat Sayin and Peter Zumthor.
Thank you for all the information you have shared.
