A landscaped courtyard between residential blocks, with a green-roofed canopy, stepped seating and planters where people sit, play the guitar and chat, children playing beside red play cubes and a swing frame, and a bronze statue in a cogwheel marked Erkut 1935

Competition Project

The Journey of Fabric

Year: April 2024
Classification: Competition Project
Status: Competition entry
Location: Kayseri, Türkiye
Team: Gökalp Kalfa
Sertaç Erbilgin (opens in a new tab)
Zehra Çelik (opens in a new tab)
Organizer: Kayseri Chamber of Architects, Abdullah Gül University and Erkut İnşaat
Recognition: Third Prize, 2024

"The Journey of Fabric" is an innovative architectural project centered on the legacy of the Sümerbank Textile Factory, a cornerstone of Turkish industrial history and a monumental landmark for the city of Kayseri. Our core inspiration arises from the idea of transforming fabric from a mere material into a formative element that shapes both public and private living spaces. This project aims to offer an integrated experience by reinterpreting the industrial past with a modern design language, seamlessly blending it into both the exterior and interior environments.

The design of our outdoor spaces is founded on a flexible and participatory philosophy that allows users to actively transform the environment. By stratifying the areas into public, semi-public, and private zones, we have created dynamic living spaces that cater to diverse user profiles. Fabric is intricately woven into every corner of the landscape: from multi-use cubes constructed with a fabric material to creative children's play areas and leisure corners where suspended fabrics serve as hammocks and seating. These elements are complemented by a public amphitheater, a continuous pedestrian axis, and an agricultural axis for residents, all designed to foster strong social interaction.

In the interior spaces, we have cultivated a warm and inviting atmosphere by merging the historical and industrial texture of the Sümerbank Factory with a modern interpretation. The interiors are designed as living exhibition areas that narrate the factory's industrial past and its evolution into a cultural center over time. Fabric plays a dual role here; it is not only a decorative element but also a highly functional one. The panels, curtains, and fabrics chosen for seating arrangements enhance the textural richness of the space while making symbolic references to the factory's historical production processes, achieving a perfect balance between function and aesthetics.

A standout architectural feature is the innovative design of the eaves. By extending the existing facade's eaves, we have transformed the upper section into a green roof. Below, freely suspended fabric pieces, illuminated at night, create a unique experiential zone that pays homage to the factory's heritage. This dynamic detail gives the project a living identity, seamlessly blending architecture with landscape and history. Ultimately, "The Journey of Fabric" moves beyond simply designing a space; it stands out as a project that preserves the industrial and cultural memory of a city, brings people together, and carries this invaluable heritage forward into the future.

Drawings

01 / 06

Site plan at 1:100 of two housing blocks with a courtyard between them, red play cubes and planters in a pixelated paving pattern, pergolas and trees along the back garden, the parking ramp and entrances to blocks A and B. — 01Site plan, 1:100.

Ground-floor entrance plan with the entrance corridor gridded by suspended fabric panels and benches, the stair core, lift, shaft and bin store, and wall build-up notes. — 02Ground-floor entrance plan.

Long section through the entrance corridor with red fabric draped in swags from the ceiling, timeline panels from 1923 to 1935 on the walls telling the Sümerbank story, benches, planters and the stair on the right. — 03Entrance corridor section, with the factory's history told along the walls.

Eave detail at 1:20 of the extended facade canopy with a green roof build-up on top and acrylic outdoor fabric strips hanging below, lit by IP68 LED strips. — 04Eave detail, 1:20: a green roof above and suspended fabric below.

Landscape detail at 1:20 showing natural stone paving, a basalt gutter with drainage channel, stepping stones in planting and a galvanised steel edge with lighting cable duct. — 05Landscape detail, 1:20.

Site section through the two housing blocks and the courtyard, with three render insets for the agricultural axis, the apartment entrance axis and the shared courtyard with red play cubes. — 06Site section with sequences along the agricultural axis, the entrance axis and the shared courtyard.

Visualisations

01 / 05

Residents and children gardening between timber pergolas strung with tomato plants, one pushing a wheelbarrow, under the shade of trees. — 01The agricultural axis for residents.

The pedestrian path to the apartment entrance, with a father and child by a perforated screen, people walking, and children playing on swings under a timber pergola beside the lawn. — 02The apartment entrance axis.

The shared courtyard with red play cubes where children climb, a dog lying on the path, and suspended fabric strips under the extended eaves of the dark-clad block. — 03The shared courtyard, with play cubes and the fabric eaves.

Elevation of the entrance corridor with fabric swags across the ceiling, timber-lined walls carrying a timeline of the Sümerbank factory from 1923 to 1935, benches and residents of all ages passing through. — 04The entrance corridor as a living exhibition of the factory's history.

Perspective of the entrance hall with curved fabric panels in the ceiling, timeline graphics and archive photographs on the timber walls, marble benches and planters, and people walking, sitting and pushing a wheelchair. — 05The entrance hall, with fabric ceiling panels and archive photographs.