Location, year: Çekmeköy, İstanbul 2011
Client: Özyeğin Üniversitesi
Architect: RMJM / B Design
Scope: Interior, Facade and Landscape Lighting Design
The campus is located on the ridges of one of Istanbul’s developing areas, Çekmeköy, in a 130.000 square meters space. Project was built in stages and started its educational life by the completion of its first stage in 2011.
The campus whose masterplan and building concept design works are done by RMJM, is formed of rich landscape areas which are connected to each other in different elevations, squares and flexible blocks which are spread out to the inclined area. The project is set out with the aim of becoming the first Turkish campus to possess a LEED GOLD certificate, and it’s designed in accordance with these principles from the beginning.
The Business, Law and Engineering Faculties along with the buildings such as Sports Centre, Student Dormitories and Student Centre possess a modular construction while getting the benefits of the inclined area. The connections between the buildings and their exteriors located outside their circulation area which are located in the natural slope of the land, are done with both pedestrian and vehicle axles alongside with the bus line inside the campus which offers ease of transportation. The large valley in the form of a natural creek, divides the campus with its inclination by putting the student dormitories and faculty buildings apart which are active during the day.
Lighting is designed in stages pursuant to the master plan and LEED requirements. In the buildings which are mainly built with glass facades and which benefits from the daylight maximally, the design was supported with the lighting system which are controlled by DALI protocol which allows flexible solutions. Thanks to this infrastructure, all controls belong to the building could be realized and reported with computer-aided systems.
In the lighting project which is prepared in accor-dance with the landscape architecture and morp-hologies, the process is continued by preparing special lighting models which allow every stage to be in harmony with the previous and the next one. By doing so, a safe usage and being able to do different activities at nights on this vast area was provided by creating aesthetical spaces with light. In the landscape areas which are designed with environmentalist approaches, pedestrian traffic is quite busy. Appropriate armatures and suitable reflectors were chosen to ensure the transporta-tion at nights to be done in a safe environment. On the areas which are in the foreground on the land-scape architecture and which express the spatial emphasis of the space, creation of the pleasant usage areas is targeted by adding aesthetical light points.
Student Centre: A multi-purpose building which is located at the middle point of the faculties and the opposite of the student dormitories. With its rich library, food-drink services, activity spaces and with exhibition and resting spaces, it has not only every function it needs to become a students’ gathering space, but also functioning as the admi-nistrative organization module of the campus. On the other hand, lighting design of this building is realized by highlighting function, integrity, savings and visual measures. Around the building, single dim and controllable light sources with DALI protocol which has low energy consumption and longer life-span to allow different scenarios. With the DALI infrastructure supported by sensor usage, LEED certificate requirements are provided and a lighting design which is integrated with the architecture and which does not give away any aesthetical look. Required lighting level for all the project spaces are calculated by using its 3D lighting model.
Sports Centre: The building which is planned on top of the inclined hill of the campus, has a half-closed and a transparent shell. Its architecture which is developed to get the maximum from the sunlight has led the lighting design to allow gi-ving different controlling abilities. On the lighting designs of the connected switches to the closed sports hall, olympic swimming pool, fitness space, eating and resting spaces, a project which saves from consumption and investment has been rea-lized.
Faculty buildings: Throughout the campus, a flexible and dynamic lighting design which will be in accordance with the young and dynamic archi-tectural lines of the building was preferred. Some of the spaces which benefits from the daylight with the DALI control infrastructures and sensor applications and which is designed with motion-sensitive lighting system, does operate 7 days 24 hours. With this, the campus which is designed in accordance with LEED requirements does not give anything away from its eco-friendly approach. The products of sport centre and faculties are chosen by architectural application office.