Green Campus

The aim of the project is to design a social center that connects students, academicians and citizens. The project area is Gebze Technical University. Universities are not only places where students acquire profession with academic education, but also institutions where they develop themselves socially and culturally.

There is a stream and marmaray line, which are the limiting factors on the campus. In order to increase accessibility to every point of the campus, overpasses have been arranged over the stream via pedestrian axes and the train line. The area between the south square and the Marmaray line was chosen as the project area due to the scarcity of social areas on the south of the campus and the overlapping of pedestrian axes. Vehicle and pedestrian roads on campus were reorganized. The vehicle road was kept out of the living areas and it was wanted to prevent cuts in pedestrian axes. Pedestrians and bicycles were activated and formed the north square of the campus. The pedestrian axis in the north-south direction aimed to prevent pedestrian rupture in the north and south of the campus, and the border phenomenon created by the stream was also wanted to be broken. Therefore, it was aimed to strengthen the east-west relationship of the campus by crossing a kolar stream coming from the pedestrian axis. The main mass formations of the project program around the pedestrian axes in the project area were determined as 5 main masses. In order to ensure accessibility, masses and functions are assigned according to axles. The courtyards in the mass were created where the axes overlap. The green courtyards, designed as an event venue, also served as a buffer zone between different functions. The voids formed in the masses support the fragmatic relationship established with the stream. Pedestrian axes from the courtyards facing the creek reached the hobby gardens by moving or crossing the creek. Green texture was grown on the wooden structure connecting the courtyards and the mass, and it was aimed to create shade gathering and activity areas. Circulation elements were designed. Withdrawals were made in the upper mass. Bridges were added to ensure transitions and continuity. Gaps for trees were opened on the bridges and arranged as a gathering area.