Ministry of Foreign Affairs Congress Building Competition,
   2008

    Facilities : Congress center , foreign affairs academy, guesthouse

    Architect : İlhan Kural

    Assistant architects : Tuğba Özbay

                                    Seda Yıldız

    Total construction area : 15 813 m2

    Status : Project

    Date : 2008

    Owner : T.C. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In our proposal, the image of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a governmental institution representing the Turkish Republic at the highest level, has been emphasized as a dignified, modern complex, responsive to the architectural program and environmental determinants.

The Committee Meeting Halls and the Conference Hall have been placed at the back, facing north-west  and the  Congress Hall's foyers, restaurant, cafe-patisserie, resting area, VIP dining hall and ministry offices have all been oriented to the front (south, south-east), thus benefiting from the view of the Eğmir and Mogan Lakes.

The Congress Center Complex consists of the Congress Center, Administrative, Research and Education units and the guesthouse block. The guesthouse has been conceived as a separate entity in order to prevent the mixing of different functions and also to provide flexibility in the construction process.

The design concept rests upon on the existence of a central circulation spine, functioning as a foyer at the center, with the main volumes attached to it, conference hall for 400 persons on the north, and cafe-patisserie, restaurant and resting area on the south. The main entrance starts at ±0.00=1241 and reaches to the Conference Halls' entrances, Committee Meeting Hall for 200 persons, Committee Meeting Hall for 60 persons, cafe, resting area and Ministry Main Offices at the same level, while 3 Committee Meeting Halls, Conference Hall exits and the second foyer are placed at level -4.50.

The imposing effect of the high walls of the Conference and the Committee Halls has been minimized by decomposing the main volumes, giving them different heights and placing the Conference and Committee Halls to the north. On the other hand, the Administration, Research and Education Unit has been designed as an individual block, that can be visually distinguished from the horizontal Congress Block, with its height and its facade overlooking the Ceremonial Area.

The foyer ends with a two-storey high gallery facing the south, towards the view, connecting different levels (with stairs and elevators). In order to gain natural light to the foyer, sky-lights and clerestory windows have been considered in the design.

Since the main common spaces have been placed to the south, towards the view, with glazed surfaces, precautions have been taken to control the sun by means of horizontal sun breakers, while vertical sun breakers have been used on the west facade. For the same reason, exposed concrete canopies have been used in both the main building and in the guesthouse.