OMM project is to realize the owner’s ambition to promote Turkish art and to make a cultural contribution to the city of Eskisehir.The site is in the area called Odunpazari. It is situated at the threshold of the newly developed urban area and small scale townscape of traditional Ottoman wooden houses. These wooden houses, with cantilevered volume at the upper level, were built in lines along the meandering small streets that make the streetscape and walk though experience quite unique and unexpected. The stacked and interlocked boxes are designed in various sizes to create diverse scales of exhibition space inside. Boxes at the ground level offer opportunities for large scale artworks and installation.

How did you manage to do connection between Eskişehir culture and Japanese culture?

Both Japan and Turkey have a tradition in building with timber. We had a very good exchange with the client/ contractor in traditional and modern technics and crafts in working with timber. It was quite meaningful and great experience for me to learn and apply to OMM. I hope it shows in end outcome the quality and the unique architectural expression.

Could you make a valuation about museum design process in an old Anatolian city like Eskisehir? 

To design a modern architecture with the focus in Turkish Art made total sense to be built in historic city in Eskisehir. Eskisehir is also a dynamic city with young population and it would work perfectly to generate a fresh, strong cultural core to become a catalyst, a model for other cities than Istanbul to motivate the art, cultural scene.

 How would you commentate art and architecture on approach of exhibit and interior? 

Art is a mean of communication. The museums should offer the space to channel the communication between viewers and the art.It is without any language and cultural differences or boundaries. The space for establishing the personal and special relation with one self and the art needs specific focus in planning and design; proportion, height, depth, color, material, natural and artificial light. For OMM we worked closely with the owner and the curator to establish the balance of how the art and space should be experienced.

Interview: Özlem Kan