Water Resources Research Center

Iztech/ İzmir Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü

Project idea

The core idea of this project stems from a fundamental ecological question: How can architecture co-exist with nature without conquering it? Inspired by the fluid and highly adaptive nature of water, the project aims to create a Water Resources Research Center on the IYTE campus that acts as an extension of the local Aegean landscape. The primary objective is to design a sustainable research hub that honors the site's natural elements—specifically preserving existing trees and harvesting rainwater—to restore the physical and symbolic bond between the sky, the earth, and human scientific inquiry.

Project description

The project consists of a biomimetic research center sheltered under a single, fluid organic concrete canopy. Rather than applying a rigid geometry, the building's layout bends and stretches organically to accommodate existing trees on-site, forming integrated courtyards. At the heart of the structure is a central courtyard topped with a massive circular oculus. This oculus collects rainwater, directing it to the ground level to nourish the internal flora and support water filtration experiments. The spatial program includes research laboratories, educational exhibition spaces, study areas, and open public zones that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments, creating a living laboratory.

Technical information

The structural framework of the project is designed entirely as a high-strength steel structure to achieve the complex, double-curved geometry of the organic canopy. A steel space frame (or custom-curved steel beams) is utilized to allow the roof to stretch, bend, and carve out large column-free spans over the courtyards.