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Çamlıca Cafe: multi-level cafe with deep eaves and the green space in front

Çamlıca Cafe

Çamlıca Cafe: multi-level cafe with deep eaves and the green space in front
Çamlıca Cafe: multi-level cafe with deep eaves and the green space in front

Çamlıca Cafe

Çamlıca Cafe: multi-level cafe with deep eaves and the green space in front

On the sloping topography of Çamlıca, a design that treats a cafe not just as a functional programme but as a public threshold that engages with its surroundings. Terraces and semi-open spaces continue the landscape at different levels, while views that change with movement let visitors experience the place anew.

Location

Çamlıca, Istanbul

Year

2016

Status

Completed

Program

COMMERCIAL

Cafe with deep eaves seen from the sloping road
People sitting on the cafe terrace with the view beyond
View of the cafe from the garden
Front view of the stacked terraces
Front view of the stacked terraces
Glazed levels and seating areas on the terraces
Terraces rising above a red wall with people seated
Long view of the cafe terraces
Sharp corner view of the building from the water's edge
Aerial photograph showing the site's orientation towards the road
Aerial photograph showing the site's orientation towards the hill
Roof plan and site plan

Approach

A Calm Meeting Place Open to Its Surroundings

Set on the sloping topography of Çamlıca, the project rethinks a cafe not just as a functional programme, but as a public threshold that engages with its surroundings. The starting point was not to produce an object facing the view, but to create a spatial experience that builds continuity between visitors and the landscape. By turning the natural features of the place into the core components of the architecture, the building aims to make a quiet but strong contribution to the rhythm of daily life.

A Layout That Follows the Slope

Topography is the most important input shaping the project. Rather than transforming the land, the building settles in with a layered arrangement that follows the existing slope. Interiors, terraces and semi-open spaces connect at different levels, forming a strong relationship with the landscape.

Views That Change with Every Step

Views that change with movement let visitors experience the landscape again and again. Circulation is not just a way of getting around, but an inseparable part of the spatial narrative. The boundaries between inside and outside are kept permeable; shaded open spaces, seating terraces and shared areas are arranged to encourage encounters at different scales.

A Simple Language Built with Light and Surroundings

The architectural expression rests on plain volumes, natural light and an honest use of materials. Transparent surfaces bring the changing character of the view inside through the day, while eaves and open spaces strengthen the relationship with the climate. The building’s scale and language form a calm architectural frame that makes its surroundings visible rather than competing with them.

Gallery

  • Cafe with deep eaves seen from the sloping road
  • People sitting on the cafe terrace with the view beyond
  • View of the cafe from the garden
  • Front view of the stacked terraces
  • Glazed levels and seating areas on the terraces
  • Terraces rising above a red wall with people seated
  • Long view of the cafe terraces
  • Sharp corner view of the building from the water's edge
  • Aerial photograph showing the site's orientation towards the road
    Aerial photograph showing the site's orientation towards the hill
  • Roof plan and site plan

Location