Projects & Buildings
Architect | Dr. M. Sinan Genim |
Assistants | Nesrin Küçükbayrak / Nesrin Taşkın / Ahmet Ergelen / Gülay Mevlevi / Neşe Zaloğlu / Belma Barış Kurtel / Pelin Sürmeli / Özgen Esen |
Employer | Suna & İnan Kıraç |
Static | Attila Çaydamlı |
Mechanic | Selim Evyapan |
Electiricity | Hüseyin Öztürk |
Purpose | Research Institute |
Project Year | 1990-2002 |
Production Year | 1992-2002 |
Land Area | 1.248 m² |
Construction Area | 1.447 m² |
The glorious Kaleiçi of the past has greatly changed its purpose in the present, and some of its buildings are vacant due to damage. In spite of every effort of local administrations it has not gained any functionality because no other purpose could be found.
Our project began with Suna and İnan Kıraç purchasing Aya Yorgi Church in 1991 that was used as cotton storage before. In 2000 the four buildings, of which three of them were rebuilt, began to provide service as an institute.
After it became private property, Aya Yorgi Church was extremeley damaged, additional structures were built to its left and right side. The project started with the demolish of these additions, and now this building is functioning as Çanakkale Ceramics Museum. Later the house at its backyard was bought. Due to the narrowness of the road, the house was moved to the back and rebuilt after the additional structures were demolished. Based on first the expertise library, and then the ethnography of Antalya, the three rooms were turned into a museum.
The library of the institute grew in a short time, and the first building became insufficient. The partially ruined building across the street was bought and rebuilt. The library and the institute was moved to this new building. The adjacent block was recorded as “cultural asset in need of protection”. However, the cultural asset was destroyed. Three photographs were found of the building and we made a restitution trial. Now there is a conference and multimedia hall with a capacity of 200 people under the building. This story that began with the restoration of Aya Yorgi Church, looks like has come to an end with Kaleiçi gaining a Research Institute. However, more space will be added with the innovations of the institute and thus passed to the future.