A  slope and series of hills at south... Continuing in the foresty area of Samanlı Mountains. The site overlooks the Sapanca lake and the smooth contour of the hills of its northern shore.

 Looking from the site the perspective opens to north west, with the main highway and the railway in the middle, all parallel to the lake... Running to west... Up to Istanbul.

Istanbul people use to come to Sapanca to their week end houses located either close to the lake or on the slopes. Who are these people, the future users of any new project? Why do they come and live in Sapanca? How long do they stay there? How do they live?

The differences pertaining to these questions define the differences pertaining to their needs, to the program, to the brief...z  One element remaining the focal point: the lake.

Therefore, the sita stretches towards north towards the lake and all lines follow this linear. Movement: the main orientation, the views, the use of light, the masses.

And the space syntax based on typological rules is an answer to the differences underlined above... It defines the architectural space.

The tectonic logic completes the typological one industrialized materials and components were used: concrete blocs and slab panels, laminated wood and finnish plywood, copper roofing, together with exposed concrete and steel profiles for structure. The modular components also define the modulation of the typological units.

The horizontal stability of the structure has been an important concern of the design. In a highly seismic area. It was reflected in the l shape columns defining all spaces and also in the alternation of the massive ground floors with the lighter upper floors.

These modulations, alternances, and differenciations in the use of building materials also define a smaller scale which is another main concern in terms of the fitness to the natural, semi-rural environment. Within which the project takes place.

Design Team: Atilla Yücel, Cem Yücel, Selda Baltacı Project Team: Türkan Kahveci Structural Engineer: Niyazi Parlar Mechanical Engineer: Hulki Aksoy Electrical Engineer: Behçet Şanal Photography: Cemal Emden