URBAN MEDITATION / NAPKiN ARCHITECTURE: Forgetting and Redesigning Architecture

Loeng

TAB-Klubi, Põhja pst 27a

Algus:12:00 12.09.2015

Lõpp:13:00 12.09.2015

Open lecture by Huseyin Yanar, architect Ph.D. and co-founder of Orpheus North Architects studio. "The city was walking with me, beside me, as a part of me with the nature. Gradually urban meditation has been developed and constructed without a plan. I forgot architecture and later begin to redesign it slowly, piece by piece by not knowing the beginning and end..."

To find our own architecture, may be the first thing is to forget the architecture. It is essential to be witnessed to the transformations of many things after seeing architecture from the distance in life. During my walks, I was with the city. The city was walking with me, beside me, as a part of me with the nature. Gradually urban meditation has been developed and constructed without a plan. I forgot architecture and later begin to redesign it slowly, piece by piece by not knowing the beginning and end. The papers, pens, pencils, colours, blacks and whites that I used during the walks became important instruments. The cafe napkins has been one of the most effective and special tissues. We throw the napkins in general to the rubbish bins. Many people don’t give any value to them. But day by day, the characters of my napkins, the scale and identity of them changed and transformed. I began to draw lines and thoughts on them on the cafe tables. Those very sensitive, fragile, tiny and soft layers of napkins became actors of my journey among the others. I understood how they are valuable and how we have to look carefully to the small details in the repertoire of daily life with an open eye without judgement and valid aesthetic criteria. What I learned after all is that I was becoming a part of the city and the landscape. Whole collection become a mental map in many accidental routes of my walks.

Huseyin Yanar, architect Ph.D. and co-founder of Orpheus North Architects studio. He is from Fine Arts Academy of Istanbul where he was an assistant professor. Has directed experimental studios in Oxford Brookes University and leading architectural and art schools in Finland. In 2013-2014 was an Associate Professor in Dong Eui University, South Korea.

‘Muotokuvia’ - ‘Portraits’ is his first book with a preface written by Juhani Pallasmaa. Yanar has written articles to Finnish and Turkish publications including Finnish Architectural Biennale selection 2011. He participated to exhibitions of ‘İstanbul Stream and Bridges’ in Finnish Fine Arts Academy and ‘Two Paths to Silence’ in MFA in 2014. He worked on Rhythm in Architecture. He has been a jury member in several competitions and got grants/awards in Turkey/Finland.