GAD proposes organic structure of arcades for istanbul technical university library

GAD architecture presents their proposal for the new istanbul technical university library for the maslak campus of istanbul university. the project aims to create a center for knowledge and become a landmark within the campus. the proposed design is characterized by the expansive structural system that has been developed to provide an organizational rationale for the shelving of books, as well as the structure of the building.

all images courtesy of GAD architecture

the project centers on a system of arcades that join together to generate the individual volumes of the building. during the development process GAD experimented with organic shapes and elastic bodies to find the optimum design solution. the resulting form creates a fluid structure that opens up to the outdoor environment, bringing in light to the interiors while also expressing a connection with the external space. 

an important concept behind the new library is to integrate the indoor and outdoor spaces. the building is designed to ‘breathe outwards’ as it connects to the adjacent playground, amphitheater and the campus as a whole. an exterior roof garden is included in the proposal and extensive greenery is used on the façades to express the idea of the structure rising organically from the ground. in this way, the design by GAD aims to create a holistic future where information, students and nature are joined together as one.

project info:

project name: istanbul technical university library

location: istanbul

architecture & design: gokhan avcioglu and GAD architecture

project team: seda tugutlu, oguz cankan, cemal erol, emre bilol, ensar kaya, burak paksoy, beste dabakoglu, aylin degirmen, visualizations by dan

building type: public, recent, experimental

construction area: 32950 m2

year: 2018

status: study

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom