Governorship Building | Aysel Serbetci

With its easy access from important centers of Gaziantep, the Gaziantep Governor is one of the few sites that face historical Silk road and the forest at the same time. The Silk road a network of trade routes, that connects the East and West, and was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions  from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century. This shows the historical importance of the area.

In this direction, the main characteristic of the project is respecting historical heritage of the city with a reinterpretation of contemporary design approach. The design gives a new accessibility for public and opens the building as a gateway. Inside, there is a museum which invites people with its permanent collection of archeological elements such as mosaics, arts and ruins.

Historical heritage of Gaziantep is one of the richest references in Turkey. The project respects that heritage and it has been influenced by that with its reinterpretation of historical gateway arches as a form (turkish: kabaltı) and the design uses it as contemporary reflection to create ‘life’ inside. Inner courtyard includes an archeological museum to represent arts from geological and historical findings.

The design aims to provide public spaces into a cultural approach. Therefore, to create a publicity, perforations on the ceiling brings sunlight inside the building. The natural light increases the spaciousness of the central area which contains the permanent collection.

To sum up, Gaziantep Governor Building project is a significant design to represent cultural heritage to blend it with the community.