Fatma Ana Cemevi and Cultural Center

Location 
İstanbul, TR

Client
Beylikduzu Municipality 

Year
2015 - 2020

Size
2.850 m²

Team Members
Mehmet Metin Polat, Bilge Altuğ, Bengi Altuğ, Gökhan Turan, Ata Kurt, Gizem Özer, Ecem Özden

Awards
2015 Beylikdüzü Cemevi and Cultural Center National Architectural Competition, First Prize
2022 18th National Architecture Awards, Building Branch Award
2022 TSMD 14th Architecture Awards, Building Award
2022 Aga Khan Architecture Awards, Nominee

The project, which metaphorically mimics the Alevis’ cultural value of togetherness, is located on a 7800 sqm plot on the Kavakli Dere river basin in Beylikduzu district (Istanbul). Its architects describe it as a "public corridor" for its communal role. It provides a distinctive presence for Alevis in Istanbul yet creates a visible but subtle appearance of its religious program that implements its publicity to bring social unity to the neighborhood.

While guiding the flow of people, the buildings vertically generate a public space between the park and the housing zone by forming a social platform. Introverted (religious) functions are combined with the extroverted (cultural center) ones with harmony on both urban and interior scales. Materials are used to differentiate functions; natural stone forms the continuity of the tangible elements surrounding the project area with a link to the park, while timber covers the Cemevi area as a private and sacred space while providing intimacy.

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