7 Houses, 5 Thickness

The project is composed of 7 house-shaped sections with 5 different thicknesses. The middle layers are thin, transparent, and in continuous interaction with the environment. This area contains the main entrance and the connecting bridge of the house, which is in contact with light and sky that are constantly transforming the experience of space. In contrast, the other layers are thick, safe, and calm. The layers consist of two functions: Served and Servant. The thicker layers are the living room, dining room, pool or master bedroom and the thinner ones are the kitchen, stairs and bathroom. All of them are houses, only sometimes they enclose us, and at other times, they release us into their middle layers.
The site of the project was utilized in a way that the public spaces such as the living room, dining area, swimming pool, and jacuzzi room could benefit from excellent light and views, while the private rooms, primarily intended for rest and relaxation, would receive the light they need through openings toward the alley. Through the strategy of layering, the surrounding landscape and views are drawn into the central spaces of the project.
The entrance bridge guides visitors along a platform before they enter the main volume, encouraging them to pause and enjoy the view. Similarly, the lobby and the middle bridge on the first floor offer a direct experience of nature, allowing light and shadow to mark the passage of time.
In “7 Houses, 5 Thickness”, we tried to activate the potential of the form and bring the DNA of the project into the deeper layers of the detailed design. For instance, in the staircase’s section design, the graphical language of the plan was used, resulting in a design that is simple, minimal, and functional, ensuring that every component of the project is inspired with its main idea.

Location: Zekeriyakoy, Istanbul, Turkey
Site Area: 750 m²
Gross Built Area: 700 m²
Number of Floors: 3
Status: Built

Firm: OJAN Design Studio, Deniz Otesi Insaat
Lead Architect: Ojan Salimi
Design Team: Mahsa Naghavi, Reza Esfandiari, Sanaz Bazrafshan, Atena Cheraghali, Ali Merati, Sonia Ziaie
Photography: Umut Yildiz