Ephemeral Roots
Continuity of Use and Components in Public Building Design
A. Findik (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
T. Offermans – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
M.J. Smit – Mentor (TU Delft - Building Design & Technology)
W. Willers – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Heritage & Architecture)
P.L. Tomesen – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
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Abstract
This graduation project rethinks the concept of architectural permanence in response to the declining lifespans and growing obsolescence of buildings due to rapid societal and environmental change. It proposes a framework that embraces adaptability, material cycles, and cultural continuity.
The design is a timber-based public building located in Kemerburgaz Kent Ormanı, an urban forest in Istanbul. Functioning as a digital archive, it collects, displays, and shares intangible cultural heritage while symbolizing architecture’s potential to embody long-term continuity. Cultural heritage informs not only the program but also the spatial organization and structural expression. Inspired by traditional Turkish architecture, the design features a communal “sofa” space, overhangs and a central courtyard. These elements foster social interaction and express local architectural identity.
Constructed using local pine and traditional joinery techniques, the structure reflects a responsible approach to both material use and forestry. Timber is harvested at different stages of growth for specific components, establishing a cycle of replantation and maintenance. The modular framework, combined with reversible joints and screw pile foundations, allows the building to be disassembled, adapted, or repaired over time. Its connection to the ground is non-destructive, enabling relocation or complete removal without leaving a permanent trace on the site.
The project offers a model of permanence grounded not in fixity, but in continuity, care and cultural identity.