Location: Ankara, Turkey.

Architect: Yazgan Design Architecture.

The Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, is set to receive a new cafeteria and co-working space designed to encourage interaction and collaboration between students and academics. The building will be open 24 hours a day and will be located close to the university’s research development areas, making it an ideal incubator for researchers. The design incorporates a variety of architectural elements and passive and active systems to integrate nature into the building. The cafeteria and co-working space will be housed in two separate volumes, with a plaza separating them and providing access to different levels of the site. Greenhouses and courtyards will penetrate the volumes, blurring the distinction between inside and outside and allowing natural light to illuminate all workspaces. The use of greenery will create pleasant environments for eating and working, while also enabling the infiltration of sunlight. The different co-working and cafeteria locations will be defined by the dimensions of the greenhouses and courtyards, with a pedestrian path running diagonally through the volumes to enhance the physical relationship with the site. The building will incorporate a variety of sustainable building systems, including solar panels, energy-efficient lighting, and geothermal heat pumps, to achieve a Zero Energy Building.

Photo credit: ivabox.