TÇMB Vocational High School for Construction

  • Project Date: 2009
  • Location: Kadikoy/Istanbul
  • Client: Turkish Cement Manufacturers Association
  • Project Team: Cem Ilhan, Bunyamin Derman (DB Mimarlik) , Dicle Hokenek, Oknur Caliskan, Arzu Cetingoz Buyukbayramoglu, Meltem Ozturk, Yigit Ozturk, Ozan Ozdilek, Turkan Kahveci, Hakan Ceritoglu
  • Photography: Omer Kanipak, Ali Taptik
  • Awards: 1st Prize

TÇMB Vocational High School for Construction

The proposed high school complex represents a completely different architectural approach from conventional ministry high school formats. The first impression of the complex is a compact mass. But the interior of the building has an interplay of varying planes, turning the interior into a maze. The design takes the advantage of the tophography which allows the creation of spaces on different levels. The end product is not an a priori decision. On the contrary, it is the result of the rich programme of the building and the topography of the site.

The rich combination of the functions makes it possible to interpret the programme of the building almost as a culture centre. Hence, the design transcends the possibilities of an ordinary educational building and arrives at a rather unconventional high school complex.

The core idea of the design is to create a promenade crossing through the blocks. The whole life of the school have direct contact with this space, either visually or physically. This promenade acts as a gathering-meeting-stolling space fort the students. The interior courtyards operate as thermal comfort devices, controlling the prevailing wind during the harsh winter days, and preventing direct sunlight during summer. Thus, microclimatized interior and exterior spaces are created according to the long approved principles of traditional architecture with a very low budget.