CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES IN TURKEY 1. AGORA Shopping Mall - İzmir

A 90,000 square meter rectangle mall forms the heart of the project and is complemented by a series of shared green spaces, including parking areas. The word ‘Agora’ is Greek for 'open place of assembly’ and, early in the history of Greece. Later the Agora defined the open-air, often tented, marketplace of a city where merchants had their shops and where craftsmen made and sold their wares.¹⁵ According to this concept, the mall have two different atrium and public spaces with greenery in front of the mall which these are need to improve the lifestyles of urban people and there should be a special focus on the consideration of environmental impact of human activities. (Fig.10&11)

Figure 10. Building surrounding of Agora Shopping Mall / İzmir

Designers favor a lighter, natural color palette and more natural light for these common spaces in their mall renovations. This is a clear indication that green spaces can increase the physical and psychological wellbeing of visitors and workers of mall. In another research conducted in İzmir showed that the more time people spend outdoors in urban green spaces, the less they are affected by stress.

Figure 11. Atrium of AGORA Shopping Mall / İzmir 4.2. Turkcell AR-GE Building - İstanbul

The structure, planned as a technology center building of a private telecommunication company, is located in Gebze TÜBİTAK Research Center Technology Free Zone. The building, designed and built by Erginoğlu - Çalışlar Architecture, is planned as a single storey from entrance to four-storey building in working areas in the direction of land position. (Fig.12) The area which covered the land is regained with green roof to nature and the roof using as a natural recreation area. The vertical circulation area is designed in the middle of the building to ensure maximum use of the natural light. Turkcell AR-GE building has a remarkable feature in terms of example of faces of biophilia in architecture in Turkey with its interesting shape, most importantly sloping and flat green roofs. Extensive (rare) greening has been used in the terrace area of a total of 2500 square meters of the building, which is designed to be able to walk on the roof and even grass skiing. (Fig.13)

Figure 12. Offices of Turkcell AR-GE Building / İstanbul

Figure 13. Green roof of Turkcell AR-GE Building / İstanbul

4.3. Point Bornova Housing and Shopping Center - İzmir

Point Bornova Housing and Shopping Center project is the great example of combining biophilia and city concept which designed by DerinYeşil Architecture&Consultancy and HOK. Shopping and entertainment streets with 52.000 square meters public areas, 37 storeyed residential towers located on the middle of these streets and 260.000 square meters closed area with the biggest mixed usage in İzmir.

(Fig.14) Three shopping and entertainment streets with "sea", "mountain" and "city" concepts built around a triangular scheme provide the ground floor circulation by embracing the housing tower, while the corridors and balconies that circulate on the first and second floors are connected by bridges to watch these curved streets.

In terms of sustainability targets of the project, green wall area has been planned to provide thermal insulation while minimizing project footprint with the architectural decisions for mass settlement, orientation, passive heating-cooling systems, material selection, energy efficient design from the concept project stage. Local and durable plant choices have been moved to these green roofs as well as to the green walls of the interior. (Fig.15)

Figure 14. Building surrounding of Point Bornova Shopping Mall in İzmir

Figure 15. Interior of Point Bornova Shopping Centre in İzmir

5. CONCLUSION

This paper focuses the relation between living organisms and built environment (architecture) in Turkey. The aim of this work is to review three types of greenery, which are green landscape, green roofs and living walls as biophilia in the Turkish buildings in order to interaction between people and nature. So, it is important to understand the main social facts about biophilia and how people react these green concepts. There are three main analyzes for understanding the concept of ‘biophilia’ and how Turkey attitude the ‘biophilia’. Firstly, Turkish old and vernacular architectural examples are analyzed.

How the concept of ‘biophilia’ was applied and it shaped in Ottoman architecture. According to researches, nature was prevailing in Ottoman architecture. Signs and elements shows us most of architectural examples include natural elements such as natural light, natural landscapes, water supply which are related with biophilia. After the analyzing the past, paper focused on types of contemporary examples in Turkey. And then, some main examples analyzed which have green elements in Turkey. In addition, the study examines the social aspects in relation of biophilia. Public interaction with green buildings and green elements analyzed. It will continue with field studies for analyzing the interaction of people in terms of three types of green building features, then questionnaire will be done some architects and designers for analyzing the underlying reasons which cause of applying biophilic elements in Turkey. Main expectation of this research is to evaluate some examples in Turkey for analyzing that how biophilia concept applied to built environment. In addition, a framework will be constructed emphasizing the social contribution of human and engagement with biophilia.

REFERENCES

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15Joshua J. Mark, “Agora,” Ancient History Encyclopedia, last modified September 02, 2009, http://www.ancient.eu/agora/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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M.A, Linda Sorrento. 2012. “A Natural Balance: Interior Design, Humans, and Sustainability”. Journal of Interior Design 53: 9-24.

Omer, Spahic. “A Conceptual Framework For Sustainability In Islamic Architecture: The Significance of The Concepts of Man And Environment”. International Symposium in Developing Economies: Commonalities Among Diversities, Malaysia, 2009

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