Dilekci Architects | DDA

Completed Buildings | Retrofit
Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme

Dilekci Architects
Eda KUTLUÖZEN | Senior Architect

being a finalist & motivation…

We have been participating in WAF since 2008 as it is a platform where both innovative projects are showcased and inspiring ideas are discussed on a global scale. We have become a finalist for the fifth time so far with Prestige Mall (2008), Buyaka (2012), 11-11 (2013), Bahriye Ucok Kindergarten (2017) and this year with the Swissotel project.

I think our participation is beneficial in several ways:
1 | Gaining visibility for our projects on an international platform,
2 | Receiving feedback from different perspectives,
3 | It is valuable to be involved in discussions about global architectural practice in general.

It was exciting for us to experience this once again with our Swissotel project, which is a finalist this year. The primary goal of the project was to transform an existing building while minimising the carbon footprint, making it a perfect candidate for the Retrofit category.

When we received the news that we were finalists, of course we were thrilled. A wide global presence is a major source of motivation for our office and team. It also means that our efforts are being rewarded, which has a positive effect in this respect.

highlights…

Within the scope of this year’s theme, ‘tomorrow’, the projects’ sustainability approaches, sensitivity to context, and contributions to society were among the prominent themes. The jury particularly evaluated projects in terms of these aspects. The inputs with which the projects were shaped, their impact on the local context and their carbon footprint were at the forefront.

preparation…

Some of the key topics that the jury members questioned and discussed the most were the environmental and climatic impacts of the projects. In addition to presenting the project with drawings, I found it important to emphasize its place within the environmental and social context as well.

Since there is no flexibility in the time allocated for presentations, it is crucial to ensure that everything you want to convey and all the slides fit within this timeframe. Since the jury is constantly taking notes, I believe that they might not be able to see all the rapidly changing slides. For this reason, if we were preparing it again, we might prefer using fewer slides.

The Swissotel project we presented is quite a complex and large-scale project. To fully explain it, many different aspects had to be covered such as its structural condition, its relationship with the urban context, its massing impact on the Çeşme silhouette, its sustainability strategy of reducing mechanical loads for thermal control etc. in a very limited time like 10 minutes. It was challenging to explain all of this to people who weren’t familiar with that geography, but at the same time, we simplified it for ourselves and got to the essence of the work.

remarkable projects & presentations…

I was particularly interested in projects that created living spaces in harmony with the environment and have a social impact by adding value to the existing community around them.

There was one project that stood out for me (Darlington Public School), which has won the Building of the Year award, that demonstrated how interactive learning spaces for children, can be addressed in architecture. It was a project that cleverly used indoor and outdoor spaces to create permeable and flexible learning environments.

about WAF…

WAF was an overall great experience for several reasons. First, of course, it’s about gaining visibility as a company on an international platform and to stand out with our projects.

It was valuable to meet architectural offices from different regions, exchange ideas and see how projects of different typologies were received and addressed from different perspectives.

I was most curious about the questions and comments about our project. While it is clear to us how the project was developed, it was important for us to understand how people who were seeing it for the first time would approach it and what questions they might have. In that respect, the festival provided a great opportunity for such open-ended discussions.

This year’s WAF had a slightly chaotic atmosphere due to the overlapping presentations, but I found it to be successful in its own way.

In real life, nothing really happens in a perfectly sterile environment, so, while it was initially uncomfortable to have other presentations going on in the background, it was actually enjoyable to be a part of that dynamic.

The festival’s structure, with many small igloos under a large roof, allowed a smooth circulation by offering easy access from one presentation to another. This fluid structure also positively supported informal interactions among the participants.

I think it was also exciting that this year’s WAF took place in Singapore. While the environmental impacts of people travelling from distant places are a concern, I believe the overall positive effects of the festival outweigh this. I hadn’t been there before, but those who had been mentioned how quickly it has transformed. It was fascinating to discuss new projects in a completely new space with people from different backgrounds.

WAF 2025 & Miami…

WAF’s expansion to different continents and its upcoming event in a dynamic city like Miami this year will further reinforce the global dimension of the event.

I think the fact that it is held in different geographies will positively impact the diversity of participants. With the architecture sector in the US, the event can reach a larger number of participants and give WAF a new momentum.

This will further enhance WAF’s role as a global platform for architectural interaction.

development & progress of WAF…

Since its inception in 2008, WAF has become one of the most prestigious events in the world of architecture, bringing together various participants from different countries.

Over time, it has become an important meeting point for architects and designers from all over the world. Being able to share the latest developments in the field of architecture first-hand and not only as spectators, but also as active participants in discussions is one of the strongest aspects of the event.

I believe that making arrangements to encourage more participation of young designers and students would make this event even stronger.

Completed Buildings | Retrofit
Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme

Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme is a renovation and upcycling project of an existing 11 story hotel.

The main building mass and the effect of the conference building on the silhouette and the structures added to the original building over time were to be addressed architecturally and the 400 room capacity of the old hotel was to be reduced to 260 and the remaining rooms were to be converted into apart residences. In addition, a total of 110 apart residences and 7 detached villas were positioned with the newly added buildings, aiming for the continuity of the design language of the existing building and its harmony within the silhouette.To realize this 85,000 square meter project, we aimed to reduce environmental impact and minimize carbon emissions by preserving 74% of the reinforced concrete structure instead of demolishing and rebuilding all existing buildings. As part of the project, the conference center and the surrounding outbuildings were demolished and recycled. The main building mass was stripped down to its load-bearing reinforced concrete structure and reinforced. Terraces were extended with extensions to the existing reinforced concrete slab to increase the use of outdoor space. In the new façade design, we aimed to increase energy efficiency by cutting unwanted excess sunlight with horizontal parapets. Thus, by extending the life of the existing building and adapting it to today’s structural, architectural and urban needs, a more sustainable and efficient living space has been created.Structural Engineer
YBTAS