Uygur Architects
Uygur Architects, founded in 1986 by Semra Uygur and Özcan Uygur in Ankara, create urban and architectural projects for 30 years. Alongside with remarkable works on cultural and educational buildings, Uygur Architects also have important experiences in large-scale prestigious private and public office buildings. Interpretation of the requirements and the main reason of the building is an important phase of the design process for Uygur Architects and in most cases these are developed and changed together in discussion with the clients as well. Thinking of not only the users, but also the people who are indirectly affected by the building is a common approach in Uygur Architects’ works. They embraced this behavior as a norm called “Intermutual Architecture”. The buildings are developed to make their users feel better and work well, while making the people who see them or walk nearby relish.
As a principle, the authenticity of buildings is highlighted in all projects in relation to the existing environmental features. Therefore, the extensive study of the relation between the location and the building may be seen as a repeating principle in Uygur Architects’ design process. The forms of the buildings are produced with the basic geometrical components and tectonic originality of materials and spaces. The interior spaces that seem to be complicated in the first encounter are easy to use and enriched with different perspectives. Most importantly they are produced with a design approach that supports flexible usage patterns instead of a dictating fixed utilization.
Uygur Architects believe that spaces can enrich human affairs. For them, not only spatial organization but also materials can contribute in the atmosphere that is to be created. Besides developing a coherent intellectual base for each of their projects, the main principle for Uygur Architects is to create qualified spaces by means of developing elaborate components of a construction with all required details. Consequently, from urban design to the smallest detail scale, all the documents related to production are generated in the office’s own structure.
Uygur Architects believe in the richness of dynamics design process and care about working with people from different generations or fields. They express their architectural understanding with a brief statement: “All the projects are designed with the genuine differences of utilization and experiences, in a process that starts from the spatial organization enabling social relations and leading to the discovery of materials that evoke senses.”
One other important issue for Uygur Architects is architectural competitions. According to the office philosophy the architectural competitions are seen as “competing with the self”. This idea can be seen in nearly 70 former competition projects that form an intellectual base for the new projects of the office. The awards gained from those competitions so far take an important place in Uygur Architects’ recognition. The first places in the competitions as Atatürk Cultural Center (ACC), Presidential Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Concert Hall (1993), Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Parliamentarian Office Building (1996) and TED Ankara College, Yumrubel Campus (1997) can be regarded as their most significant awards. Besides the projects realized via competitions; CER Modern Arts Center (2000), Turkish Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh (2011) and the 44 school buildings’ projects built within ISMEP program of which four of them were selected to be in Arkitera 2014 Selections (2010-2015) are some of their other important projects. Uygur Architects was awarded by The Chamber of Architects National Awards 2004 with TED Ankara College Yumrubel Campus in Building Category and also by TSMD with CER Modern Arts Center in 2010.
Uygur Architects is an architectural practice based in Ankara, Turkey.
Büklüm Sokak No: 68/2 Kavaklıdere 06700 Ankara, Turkey - Phone: +90 312 467 60 90 - Email: info@uygurarchitects.com - www.uygurarchitects.com
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CER Modern Arts CentreAltındağ - TurkeyPhoto by Cemal Emden
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METU GRADUATE STUDENTS GUESTHOUSEAnkara - TurkeyPhoto by Yercekim Architectural Photography