Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center

Melike Altınışık and Gül Ertekin have shared with us their proposal for the İstanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center Competition. Hosted by Maltepe Municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, the competition asked participants to design a religious and cultural complex for the Alevi population (a religious minority group practicing Islam) that can serve modern society’s needs and honor past culture.

Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center - Image 5 of 23
Aerial Rendered View. Image Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin

In the past 30 years, the movement of Alevis to urban centers has caused tension between history and modernity, and between the rural and the urban. As the scale of the Alevis' religious buildings, known as Cemevis, has grown to meet new cultural and social needs, they began to lose the traits that defined them as religious buildings. This competition entry focuses on cultural sustainability, using Alevi culture and values as its inspiration. Humanism, modesty, socializing and a strong connection with nature and surroundings are the core principles of its design.

Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center - Image 7 of 23
Interior Rendered View. Image Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin

A series of repeated modules express a differentiating of programmatically distinct areas, while maintaining the unity of the entire complex. The experience at street level and spaces to socialize are taken into consideration. Public spaces are created within the complex by a roof and terrace landscape with visual and physical connections within itself for people to interact.

Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center - Handrail
Terraced Landscape. Image Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin
Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center - Facade
Entrance. Image Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin
  • Architects

  • Design

    Melike Altınışık, Gül Ertekin
  • Project Team

    Demet Cekic, Anıl Gülmez, Ali Ucar
  • Landscape Consultant

    Nursen Gümüşsoy
  • Structure Consultant

    Melih Altınışık
  • Visualization

  • Area

    12000.0 sqm
  • Project Year

    2015
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of TAG, Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin
  • Project Year

    2015
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of TAG, Courtesy of Melike Altınışık Architects + Gül Ertekin
  • Area

    12000.0 m2

Project gallery

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About this office
Cite: Eric Oh. "Competition Entry: Istanbul Gülsuyu Cemevi and Cultural Center" 09 Aug 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/771325/istanbul-gulsuyu-cemevi-and-cultural-center-competition-announces-finalists> ISSN 0719-8884

Aerial Rendered View. Image Courtesy of TAG

竞赛报名:伊斯坦布尔 Gülsuyu Cemevi 文化中心

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