Flow — Education and Wellness Center

Ceren Bogac

Project idea

Flow is a graduation project situated in the ghost city of Varosha, Famagusta — a historically charged site frozen in time since 1974. In a place defined by absence and silence, the project proposes an Education and Wellness Center rooted in the philosophy that architecture can heal. Inspired by Peter Zumthor's idea that buildings should engage all the senses, Flow asks: what does it mean to design a space that restores the human spirit while reconnecting people to a forgotten landscape? The concept emerges from the interplay of water, earth, and light — biophilic elements woven into every spatial experience to create an architecture of presence and calm.

Project description

Flow — Education and Wellness Center occupies a 4,500 sqm footprint within the abandoned urban fabric of Varosha. The program integrates educational studios, seminar spaces, a library, and research facilities alongside a full wellness suite — including an indoor lap pool, meditation rooms, a spa, fitness terraces, and relaxation decks. The building is organized around a central water feature that acts as both a climatic regulator and a spatial anchor, drawing visitors inward and through the sequence of spaces. A layered landscape strategy connects the building to its coastal context, with terraced gardens, shaded promenades, and a rooftop fitness terrace overlooking the sea. The spatial flow is deliberately choreographed: from public to private, from active to contemplative, from collective to intimate — mirroring the rhythms of wellbeing itself.

Technical information

The structure employs a reinforced concrete frame with load-bearing walls, thermally treated to respond to the Eastern Mediterranean climate. Facades combine locally sourced stone cladding with deep brise-soleil overhangs and louvered screens to control solar gain. The indoor pool is covered by a glazed roof supported on a lightweight steel space frame. Passive ventilation strategies — cross-ventilation through a central courtyard and stack-effect chimneys — reduce mechanical cooling loads. The water cycling system for the pool and water features is integrated with a grey-water recycling loop. Total built area: approximately 4,500 sqm. Site area: approximately 5,000 sqm. Building height: 3 storeys above grade.

Documentation

Show PDF 1