ARTICLE MEGARON 2015;10(4):479-493 DOI: 10.5505/MEGARON.2015.04127 Re-Thinking Loft Buildings in the Scope of Housing Production in Turkey* Türkiye’de Konut Üretimi Kapsamında Loft Binaları Yeniden Düşünmek* Neslinur HIZLI, Burçin MIZRAK ABSTRACT ÖZ In an age of rapid urbanization, the question of how housing Hızlı kentleşmenin olduğu bir çağda, konutların, şehirlerin ar- should respond to increasing, changing demands of cities has tan ve değişen ihtiyaçlarına nasıl cevap vereceği keşfedilmesi become crucial. The aim of the present study was to re-envi- gereken önemli bir sorun olmaktadır. Bu bildiri, bu ihtiyaçlara sion the role of the loft building in housing production in Tur- cevap verebilmek açısından loft binaların konut üretimindeki key in terms of responding to those needs, and to discuss loft yerini yeniden düşünmeyi ve loft binaları ‘uyumluluk, değişebi- buildings within the context of an open building–embodying lirlik ve esneklik’ kavramlarını da içinde barındıran ‘açık yapı’ adaptability, variability, and flexibility. To do so, literature was konsepti üzerinden tartışmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla, il- reviewed, and six examples, three national and three interna- gili yazın taranmış ve üçü yurtiçi, üçü yurtdışından olmak üzere tional, were analyzed. Two interviews were conducted, one altı örnek analiz edilmiştir. Biri, örnek loft binamızın tasarım with a member of a design team, and one with a user of loft ekibinden, bir diğeri de kullanıcısı olmak üzere iki kişi ile rö- examples. The study demonstrates that loft buildings embody the fundamentals of the open building concept, with high portaj yapılmıştır. Çalışma göstermiştir ki, loft binalar yüksek ceilings and structural systems that provide interior space duvarları ve iç mekânı bölmeyen taşıyıcı sistemleriyle açık yapı without division, but which diverge from the concept due to konseptinin temel özelliklerini içinde barındırırken, cephedeki restrictions in their facades. It also suggests that lofts can play kısıtlamalardan dolayı konseptten ayrılmaktadır. Açık yapı ka- a remarkable role in future Turkish housing production due to rakteristiği ile Türkiye’nin gelecekteki konut üretiminde önemli these open building characteristics. bir rol oynamaktadır. Keywords: Loft buildings; open building; support and infill; user par- Anahtar sözcükler: Loft binalar; açık yapı, destek ve tamamlayıcı üni- ticipation; the SAR system. teler; kullanıcı katılımı; sar sistemi. *This article has been developed from the conference paper ‘Re-Thinking Loft Buildings in the *Bu makale, 11-12 Aralık 2014 tarihinde Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi Mimarlık ve Tasarım Fakül- Scope of the Dwelling Production in Turkey’, originally presented at the International Environ- tesi ev sahipliğinde gerçekleşen Uluslararası Çevre ve Tasarım Kongresi’nde bildiri olarak su- ment and Design Conference in Istanbul, December 2014. nulmuş olup, çalışmanın literatür kısmında verilen bilgiler yazarlar tarafından geliştirilmiştir. Department of Architecture, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Turkey. Article arrival date: March 17, 2014 - Accepted for publication: November 02, 2015 Correspondence: Neslinur HIZLI. e-mail: [email protected] © 2015 Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Mimarlık Fakültesi - © 2015 Yıldız Technical University, Faculty of Architecture m garonjournal.com m CİLT VOL. 10 - SAYI NO. 4 479 Introduction structed buildings, make the concept of variability and A dwelling has a mechanism, which is changing flexibility important at the planning and design stage. according to the culture, income, and demographic The variability of the residential building means that characteristics of users. If any of these factors of the the housing plan has a certain system and adapta- users’ changes, the dwelling must correspond to this. tion which provide alternative solutions to the users’ But when looking at today’s dwelling production, changing and improving living conditions. Besides its quite monotonous dwelling groups are seen. Although definition which is mentioned in the Turkish Language architects or designers indicate that they really care Association as “susceptible to different interpreta- about user-centered housing designs, the majority tions”, the word of ‘flexible’ is one of the different of the apartments only appeal to a score of people. types of variability with its meaning like variable, add- Therefore, in this age of rapid urbanization, how the able, adaptable, expandable. Although these concepts residential buildings should be and should react to the have very similar meanings, they have major differenc- rapid increase in population and to the changing life- es in terms of usage in architecture. Giving informa- styles of citizens in big cities are still the problems wait- tion about these concepts, which will be mentioned ing to be solved. frequently in case studies, would be appropriate for better understanding of the study. Loft buildings, which were come up with converting The Concept of Flexibility, Adaptability, Variability idle industrial buildings to home/office buildings as an In Residential Buildings alternative solution to problem of homelessness of the 1970s in the United States also began to be implement- The concept of flexibility in architecture can divide ed in Turkey gradually. This approach is considered as a into various topics depending on the residential build- new trend because, investors aim to provide new pack- ing’s physical, mechanical and structural systems at the ages and facilities, for who will have a house in this stage of planning, design and practice. This classifica- period of rapid consumption of space and housing. So, tion can change depending on the bearing elements i.e. will loft buildings be improved instead of monotonous built-in elements (columns, slabs, vertical installation housing architecture as an alternative in changing con- shafts, vertical circulation elements) and variable parts ditions? What kind of contribution do these buildings (non-load bearing walls, plane of working, display ele- make in residential building sector of Turkey? The aim ments). Ustun describes flexibility as a method, which of the study is to re-think the importance of loft build- is depending on principles of construction and distribu- ings in dwelling production in Turkey and to discuss loft tion of service spaces. He explains that the main com- buildings over the concept of open building; embody- ponents of flexible scheme are pre-planned relations ing adaptability, variability, and flexibility. between the loadbearing axis, loadbearing interior par- titions, central heating, water and electricity services, In this paper, before giving definitions and examina- main and service spaces. Ustun also notes that the tion of loft examples; literature review, which includes adaptability is based on basis of planning and organiza- open building discourses and the concept of flexibility, tion. Room sizes, spatial relations between rooms, load adaptability, variability, are given. bearing internal dividers, the perception of space re- gardless of function are the parameters of adaptation.1 Literature Review In our developing world, the increase of the needs The adaptability is to provide opportunity for re- of people and technological developments, which oc- use of residential space with a different function at cur in line with these needs, affect changes and de- any period of time. Obsolescence of function in resi- velopments in society again. In the wake of these dential space is a problem, decreasing the value of developments, our expectations about the future of the building. The solution is changing use without structures, in which we keep living, also change. And changing structural components; in other words it is that paradigm shift and the emergence of new arrange- the principle of adaptability, which provides flexibility. ments in the existing structures lead to the motion of The variability is to grow outward, to expand by way change and so give rise to the notion of ‘variability’. of modules. As it is understood from this point, the Residential users’ time-varying needs, demands and difference between adaptability and variability is the habits require taking some precautions at the plan- structural components coming into play and their abil- ning stage. Besides the existing buildings adapting to ity to change. new functions because of the new requirements, the assumption of possible future changes of to be con- 1 Ustun, 2000. 480 CİLT VOL. 10 - SAYI NO. 4 Re-Thinking Loft Buildings in the Scope of Housing Production in Turkey The concept of flexibility is, with the words of Ta- In the book ‘Supports, an Alternative to Mass Hous- pan,2 the same design unit’s ability of fulfilling the ing’, Habraken proposes the separation of ‘support’ different users’ requirements without changing struc- (base building) from ‘infill’ (fit-out) in residential con- ture system and is the opportunity to take advantage struction. One of the different hierarchical levels of the of the same volumes for multiple functions. The vari- building section, fixed part i.e. support unit, has been ability is the behavior, which requires changing the used to determine the decisions made by society, structure system for meeting the changing needs and while in-fill unit has been used to explain the decisions actions’ requirements. According to Yurekli,3 the pur- made by individuals. The permanent and long-lived pose of giving insight into the flexibility percept to any support includes the service