A Space for Collective Memory: Havus
Team: Ravza Kabaktepe, Eda Hafızoglu, Zehra Kilic, Dovran Gazakov, Serra Utkum Ikiz, Elif Ayse Fidancı, Yasser Shalabi, Bahar Nurberdiyeva, Goncag Aydin, Mohamed Ahmed Abdellatif
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“If everything were full, there would be no movement.”
Inspired by this reflection from Doğan Kuban, the Köprübaşı Urban Design Project in Antakya seeks to carve out spaces for pause, memory, and communal life within a city layered with history.
Rooted in the concept of the "Havuş"—the central courtyard found in traditional Antakya houses, a space for gathering and everyday rituals—the project reimagines this architectural and social form at the urban scale. It proposes a collective Havuş for the city: a flexible public space that invites interaction, reflection, and a reawakening of shared memory.
Located in the historic Köprübaşı district, where Antakya’s diverse layers of heritage intersect, the design approach builds on comprehensive analysis of the site’s natural, built, and social dimensions. It aims not only to preserve but to reactivate the city’s historical identity through ecological interventions, cultural continuity, and participatory design.
Key elements of the proposal include:
Ecological water management systems (bioswales, rain gardens, permeable pavements)
Pollination and discovery gardens to support biodiversity and environmental education
Aquatic planting strategies along the Orontes (Asi) River to improve water quality and create a resilient green corridor
Alternative mobility networks (pedestrian infrastructure, bicycle paths, and light rail transit)
Tactical architectural interventions that reimagine existing spaces and facades with local cultural references.
The Urban Havuş becomes a starting point and destination, a site for new narratives and shared encounters. Its modular design allows for transformation—hosting exhibitions, gatherings, and seasonal festivals. Inspired by the grid patterns of Antakya's ancient urban form and the sensory memory of its courtyard houses, the project speaks to both continuity and change.
In reconfiguring spaces of movement and memory, the Köprübaşı project not only revitalizes a historical center but also creates an inclusive and vibrant environment for Antakya's diverse communities today.
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