Mersin Municipality National Competition
Yankı – The Echo
The project site is located next to the Tarsus Waterfall. It is a transitional location between the historic part of the city and the natural values. Therefore, “Yankı” (The Echo) aims to bring the historical clues of the city center to the newly developing part which creates a composition with the natural values. The project includes, multipurpose hall, a public pool, a concert hall, an urban bazaar area, and a restaurant. The project is naturally ventilated and prevents the excessive use of cooling energy in summer. The glass cubes work as ventilation spaces that strictly cuts the overall mass. The composition between mass and light material denotes to the relation between human and natural values.
echo, noun, plural ech·oes. : a repetition of sound produced by the reflection of sound waves from a wall, mountain, or other obstructing surface.
By taking the axes directly from the historical buildings in the city center, the design represents various vistas from the city center coupled with the natural waterfall as a composition in a portrait.
Mass and Light
The tension between mass and light is exhibited in the overall composition. The glass element also is the natural ventilator of the building and refrains the structure from excessive use of cooling energy by taking wind from the dominant wind direction.
The Design Stages
The idea that axes denote the echo of the historical entity of Tarsus, is conveyed to the design stages. The cut mass is replaced with the transparent element, which accentuates the tension between each other.
The sliding doors are used to arrange the wind circulation inside the building to prevent excessive use of cooling energy. The doors directly open to the dominant wind direction and welcomes the wind to penetrate to the inside.
