The main design goal of the project, which was presented to the invited competition for the planned culture, congress and media centre on the back of the Ahmed Hamdi Akseki Mosque inside the Ankara Religious Affairs Complex, is to place the congress centre in a busy area without disturbing the silhouette effect of a mosque behind.
It is suggested to see a city forest rising with a slope instead of a structure when viewed from the road. In anticipation of the area to be busy all day long, the roof and the surroundings of the newly constructed congress centre were transformed into a city park as green space.
The main conference hall for 1,500 persons is designed to allow for different uses with movable seats and layout. In addition to the main hall, two 235-seat conference rooms meet the needs of the congress centre’s meetings and other events. A media centre with a large, six small TV studios were designed, as well as a congress hall and a foyer on the rest of the complex. Exhibition hall, department head offices and library also form other functional parts of the centre.
Most of the studios are located on the underground with two-storey car park that enable the congress centre to be kept at the least possible height. Department offices, foyer and exhibition areas are lit by pitched sunken gardens and the visual connection between the interior and roof terrace is maintained.
The congress, culture and media centre is settled underneath the area by lifting an edge of it and it has been designed as a generous and humble structure that provides more than it takes from the area it’s been located.
