Balçova Cemevi
This monolithic structure, designed by following traditional indoor traces, has been built as a place of worship for Alevis, who have lived in secrecy until recently. It is produced with a focus on the fundamental characteristics of Alevi teachings.
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NSMH aims not to create a new tradition but to innovate while holding on to tradition. NSMH defines Balçova Cemevi structure, designed with simple reasoning, with a timeless structure, incorporating traditional elements and embodying a contemporary presence. Cemevis, serving as places of worship for Alevis trying to live in secrecy in the geography of Turkey, did not exhibit any features suggesting a massive structure, and there were no signs indicating cemevi as a large-scale establishment. However, even if the mass was not easily recognized, the interior design had distinctive qualities of its own. The overlapping pyramid roofing structure, commonly known as the "tütekli tavan”, was recognized as the distinctive roof system of cemevis, even though it was present in various building types. However, unlike other structures, it was concealed beneath a 'regular' roof with two or four slopes, rendering it invisible from the outside. With Alevi community's migration from rural areas to cities starting in the 1950s, the challenge of constructing these traditional places of worship, exclusive to Alevis in villages, in an easily identifiable form within urban settings under new conditions remained an unanswered question. This became our primary consideration. One of our clues was the Büyük Ocak Cemevi, built around the 13th century in the Onar Village of Malatya. We began with the question, 'what would be the recognizable exterior of a building with this kind of interior, if it could be constructed?' With the support of Taş Mescit in Maraş and Acar Dede Tomb in Bodrum, the four-sided truncated pyramid that distinctly embodies the pyramidal form of the “tütekli tavan” paved the way for us to find an answer to this question. The four-sided truncated pyramid enabled us to shape the mass according to our vision. This pyramid shape allowed us to embody the crucial Alevi concept of 'four doors.' Since we couldn't open windows in the walls due to the desire for closure, the light entering the 'square' from above, representing a connection to the sky, became essential. The library and the aşevi (soup kitchen) had distinct dimensions and shapes in their plans; both were also covered with truncated pyramids, providing a view of the sky. The inner courtyard, connecting all these units, is entirely closed to the road but can be opened toward the park when desired. It was designed based on the circular form of the Alevi semah, performed through turning. The term ‘Kızılbaşlık', one of the regular descriptive adjectives for Alevis and sometimes used negatively by non-Alevis, was the motivation behind deliberately building a red structure. Our aim wasn't to establish a new tradition, but rather to innovate while preserving the essence of tradition. Now, the structure we've built through simple reasoning is rooted in traditional influences, yet it remarkably exhibits qualities that make it not only reflective of the present but also possess the qualities of a contemporary and timeless structure.
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