Özer / Ürger Mimarlık Architects

Kocaeli Congress Center

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

KOCAELI CONGRESS CENTER

Ozer/urger Architects

ARCHITECTS
Ozer/urger Architects

CATEGORY
Community Center, Renovation, Cultural Center

CIVIL ENGINEERING
Erduman Engineering

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Metta Engineering

LANDSCAPE
Ozer/urger Architects

LOCATION
İzmit, Turkey

ELECTRIC ENGINEERING
Trifaz Engineering

AREA
15000 m²

PHOTOGRAPHS
Egemen Karakaya

YEAR
2020

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Ahmet Mucip Ürger, Ali Özer

DESIGN TEAM
Seda Gecü, Sinan Günay, Elif Düzel, Uğur Sarişen, İsmet Güngör

PROJECT TEAM
Gökçe Ejder, Tuğba Kayaköy, Ercan Koca, Mustafa Tekin

CONSULTANTS
Erdem Özlü(Idearc), Cüneyt Kutay

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

Most of Turkey's industrial infrastructure is in Kocaeli and Izmit Bay. However, most of the factories remained inside the city because of the rapid growth of the population in recent years, and thus moved to new places.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

Today, the abandoned areas by the factories offer new opportunities to overcome the accessibility problems of the coastal zone and the lack of public space.

This process is first started with SEKA park stage 1 project in 2007 and the SEKA park Stage 2 project in 2009, both of which offer an uninterrupted park through the seafront.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

The project is the transformation of a 3-block factory structure, which stays inside this park, to a new congress center.

In this framework, the project aims to connect the detached factory with its environment and offer an indoor public space.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

The new factory, which will provide a culture and art infrastructure, will also serve as the foyer of open spaces that continue uninterruptedly along the coast.

There are 3 separate factory blocks, which of two were constructed later with different construction techniques because of new demands that emerged over the years, in the campus.

The project preserves the original structure by restoring its unique details and offers a visual unity by using the same details in the design of the other buildings added later.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center

New Front Façade

The last axes of blocks A and C adjacent to the road are demolished, except for the columns, and the narrow pavement in front of them is widened in this direction.

New columns are added to the existing columns, in between the blocks, to enhance the effect of the colonnade system.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

This new colonnade, giving clues about the inner courtyard, is designed as an entrance for the visitors coming from the railway direction.

Preservation of existing structures and shells

The existing structure and shell of the building is an industrial heritage.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

The primary strategy of the design of the entire campus is the preservation and display of this structure.

For this purpose, the whole structure is designed with an open plan strategy.

Conference Hall and Multi-Purpose Halls

The main hall presents a completely different space setup by departing from the design idea that refers to the original function of the building and exhibits its structural elements.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

The main hall is a space that offers ideal acoustics and visual quality with its floor, wall, and ceiling coverings.

The visitor entering the main hall from the foyer switches between two different worlds.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

Block C is designed flexibly to enable different activities.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

The two multi-purpose halls and the foyer combining them are designed to be used separately or together when necessary.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya
Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya

Facade Character

The visual character of the brick facade of the original factory is extended to all facades to achieve a singular façade character.

However, the existing system section has been reinterpreted according to current specifications, and a new detail is developed to place thermal insulation between the brick coverings.

Kocaeli Congress Center
© Egemen Karakaya


Kocaeli Congress Center
Plan - Site
Kocaeli Congress Center
Plan - Ground Floor
Kocaeli Congress Center
Plan - 1st Floor


Kocaeli Congress Center
Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Diagram


Kocaeli Congress Center
Main Design gif
Kocaeli Congress Center
Front Character Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Flexible Function Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Mezzanine Floor Plan Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Auditorium Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Front Withdrawal of the Front Diagram
Kocaeli Congress Center
Existing Structure Diagram

Kocaeli Congress Center
Section

Özer / Ürger Mimarlık Architects
T +90 212 2927012 F +90 212 2927013
Özer / Ürger Mimarlık Architects
Pürtelaş Hasan Efendi, Güneşli Sok. No:41, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey