Teğet Mimarlık İnş. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

Sille Primary School

Sille Primary School 

TEGET

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

ARCHITECTS
Teget

PHOTOGRAPHS
Egemen Karakaya

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Bksd

MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Ksm Engineering

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Tesla Engineering

ARCHITECTS
Ece Ünübol, Hande Ciğerli, Ethem Aybar, Deniz Dilan Kara, Alican Tilkan

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Teğet Architecture, Mehmet Küçükoğlu, Ertuğ Uçar

AREA
2300 M²

YEAR
2023

LOCATION
Turkey

CATEGORY
Schools

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Sille is a village located 8 km northwest of Konya city center with a population of 4,000. Its history dates back to the Neolithic era and witnessed periods of Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman rule.

In the late 1900s, Sille was a bustling town with a population of around 18,000, half of whom were non-Muslims, mainly Greeks and Ottomans.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Historical maps and photos reveal around sixty churches along with private places of worship and chapels in households. However, Sille was nearly deserted during the population exchange of 1923.

As homes, hans (inns), and churches were left behind, the architectural and cultural heritage gradually eroded over time. What was once a valley filled with small stone and wooden buildings on both sides is now partially developed, mainly on the eastern side.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

The Sille Primary School follows the footprint of a former han, offering an informal reconstruction. It's located on sloping land along the eastern bank of the stream that runs through the valley.

The main building forms a U-shaped structure with a courtyard in the center. The two-story block sits against the slope, while the single-story wings face the courtyard.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Adjacent to the north side of the school, taking advantage of the site's elevation difference, is a shelter structure. This single-story addition creates alternative open spaces: a front courtyard, a backyard, and a green terrace on the roof.

The school's simple and solid stone walls contrast with the flexible structure of the wooden framework.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Traditional wooden partitions create various-sized volumes, housing classrooms, offices, and multipurpose halls. The repeating windows of the historic inn often illuminate different functions within.

A wooden arcade envelops the U-shaped courtyard in a zigzag pattern, providing students with both a break area and a preparation space.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Concealed closets within the walls and benches along the facade transform the corridor into a multifunctional area. Wood serves both as structure and cladding, as well as furniture. The building's sturdy stone exterior gives way to a flexible and warm wooden interior.

The school has two entrances: one at street level and the other at stream level.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

The main entrance facing the stream opens onto the courtyard or ceremonial area, while the secondary entrance at street level is primarily used by the kindergarten and administration.

Additionally, the multipurpose hall, used for educational, cultural, and artistic activities, is accessed through this entrance. The building bridges the street and stream, uniting the two sides of the valley.

The Sille Primary School, with its tectonic expression and public education program, aims to restore the disappearing local fabric.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

Designed regarding a historic building, it seeks to establish a dialogue between the past and present.

This fully equipped elementary school, nestled within a centuries-old stone and wood inn, employs both traditional and contemporary techniques.

Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya
Sille Primary School
© Egemen Karakaya

A series of compromises pave the way for the preservation of local heritage for future generations.


Sille Primary School
Axonometry
Sille Primary School
Detail
Sille Primary School
Detail


Sille Primary School
Ground Floor Plan
Sille Primary School
Site Plan
Sille Primary School
First Floor Plan
Sille Primary School
Axonometry


Sille Primary School
Section
Sille Primary School
Section
Sille Primary School
Section
Sille Primary School
Section

Teğet Mimarlık İnş. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
T +90 212 3433485 T +90 212 3433486
Teğet Mimarlık İnş. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Nejat Eczacıbaşı Binası, K:3 Evliya Çelebi Sadi Konuralp Caddesi, Şişhane Sk. No:5, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey