Lüleburgaz Swimming Academy
Lüleburgaz Yıldızları Swimming Academy Architectural Design Competition Proposal
Design Team: Berke Hatipoğlu, Güliz Özorhon, İlker Fatih Özorhon
Asisstants: Caner Üretmen, Ece Alan, Berent Mumyakmaz, İlke Yıldan, Varlık Yücel, Ender Yıldızhan
The site for the Lüleburgaz Yıldızları Swimming Academy is located in the western part of the city, characterized by its hilltop nature and strong natural landscape. The starting point of the design is to create a configuration that transforms the opportunities brought by the topographical structure into spaces, integrating and blending with the land while turning toward the city. Accordingly, the units forming the program are brought together based on their spatial relationships in the section of the site where the most intense visual connection with the city is established. The units, which become a continuation of the topography, descend southward in terraces from the highest point of the site. The parking lot at the lowest level, providing access to the outdoor and indoor public pools, and the parking lot at the upper level, providing access to the Olympic and water polo pools, are planned to sustain the green character of the site. The pedestrian path connecting the open parking lots on a north-south axis has transformed into a transportation axis that passes through and links the units, while also becoming a social space. One side of this axis houses the Olympic and water polo pools, while the other side contains the spa, indoor public pool, and outdoor pools.
The general approaches to the building are provided from the northeast at the lower level, where the public entrance is located near the outdoor public pool, water games area, and indoor public pool; an additional parking area is arranged for this entrance. Another approach is provided from the southwest at the upper level. While spectator access to the Olympic swimming pool and water polo pool is provided from this level, athlete entrances are separated via a circulation tower. With its design that rises and detaches from the topography, the tower creates an interface that can also be perceived from the city.
An axis has been created that cuts through the masses settled into the topography in line with the increasing elevations in the northeast-southwest directions. This axis connects different units and levels within the topography, ensuring a continuous social area. The upper parts of the units' masses continue the topography and greenery, aiming to generate public space for the users. Natural light is brought into these main units by puncturing the greenery at the upper sections where the indoor public pool, water polo, and Olympic swimming pool masses merge with the topography. This increases the brightness levels in the indoor spaces while creating a visual impact in the interiors.
