ANTAKYA HOUSES WITH COURTYARDS
We handled the whole project with the idea of being useful after the earthquake and doing the best we could against the suffering. Against all the suffering, we prioritized the idea of establishing a new, resilient and sustainable living space that can make life a little easier, that is related to the old neighborhood at certain levels. Keeping this idea in mind, we have determined as our main goal to build a structure that knows the climate of Antakya and cares about its living habits.

We developed our designs with the idea of finding an answer to the question ‘Is it possible to establish the life formed in the continuous organic texture of the old Antakya streets and the courtyard layout of the houses that establish this texture on another scale?’ We held various meetings with earthquake victims in the region during the process. We listened to expectations and priorities and updated ourselves around this extraordinary situation.

Under the basic principles of the master plan, the population of the neighborhood was kept in their places, green open space relations were strengthened, and the transportation system was updated in favor of pedestrians and bicycles.

By keeping the courtyard settlement from the master plan in our own building island, we tried to establish some new, different scales of courtyards and spaces in this large courtyard, which are fragmented, diversified and overlapped with different elevation and terrace relations.

The main idea here was to create a new form of outdoor usage habit established in the region. Of course, in terms of its scale and density, this new settlement could not have been the size of the Old Antakya houses and their courtyard interiors. However, it is possible to say that this texture has been strengthened by establishing a new hierarchy of open space, courtyards, and terraces and open green space relations.

Considering the conditions offered to us by island number 5, we approached the project by paying attention to some issues. We see the following issues as steps to be taken to improve the current situation in the city, which was affected by the earthquake and experienced losses and suffering:

- To build the largest earthen courtyard we can do on this island and
to construct a natural green courtyard that belongs only to the property owners.
- To make it possible for all departments to have access to equal rights and opportunities as much as possible. Therefore, each apartment should face the street and the courtyard, benefit from cross ventilation, and have as large a terrace as possible.
- Taking into account the earthquake, to design the interiors of the houses with sofas and fixed furniture in a way that resembles the life of old Antakya houses.