TRACING THE RUINS : PAST & FUTURE
A Layered Design Approach for Kayaköy
Our project Tracing the Ruins, selected as a finalist in the international design competition "Living Ruins" organized by Terraviva, offers a contemporary spatial proposal for the abandoned settlement of Kayaköy. Beyond architectural intervention, the project engages with a narrative that connects the past to the future through contextual and respectful design.
Embracing Kayaköy’s unique historical layers, the proposal introduces parasitic additions that bring new functions while preserving and enhancing the existing fabric. Through the use of sustainable materials like corten steel, these interventions establish a meaningful dialogue between time periods, maintaining spatial continuity without overshadowing the original stone structures.
The program integrates open, semi-open, and closed spaces, including exhibition and workshop areas, walking paths, an open-air cinema, children’s playgrounds, a research center, and a visitor hub—designed to enrich both individual and communal experiences. Each element is delicately inserted into the historic texture of Kayaköy, aiming to revitalize the area without compromising its cultural and natural identity.
This project reaffirmed our belief that architecture is not merely about building, but about crafting relationships—with memory, time, and landscape.
