Less or More

Diagram of relationships in the practice of architecture by Gokhan Avcioglu

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The anonymous or customized development of architecture compared to previous examples through practice, by protection from the movements of nature, attacks of other tribes or wild animals, the sheltering instinct collecting, gathering, producing and adding other humane meanings was described in the previous century by Mies Van der Rohe as “Less is More” and this description became very popular. In the beginning of the 20 th century, it was used as the construction idea of many buildings for better or for worse.

Robert Venturi ironically used this phrase as “Less is Bore,” considering the vapidity of ideological but unfounded examples. However, as the replies found against what is “bore” were far from being satisfactory enough for the architects who carried this phrase as a flag, they would be branded as frontal, theatrical, ornamental by the critics after a decade.

Recently, Bjarke Ingels (BIG) published his architectural gimmick, humoristic monograph with the phrase “Yes is More,” which is fun but does not go beyond the perspective of traditional office ideology.

For us, a building continues its existence within its design and construction, considering features distilled from the ideas we have explained in this book, whether it is “less” or “more.” For this reason, the title of this book was determined as to draw attention, particularly to meaning and resistance, beyond being a more or less architectural abstraction.

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LEARNING FROM CITIES The development and evolution of cities are physical manifestations of civilization. The urban fabric is a record of the development of agriculture and surplus, the division of labor, of the need for seasonal, communal shelter, of defensive and offensive military organization, the evolving economy, and the will to create meaning.

Learning from cities is not only a matter of being inspired by them but of understanding the very relationship among individuals, societies, and their built environments.

Gobeklitepe, Türkiye

1350 BCE

Catalhoyuk, Türkiye

Ephesus, Türkiye

7500 BCE

Miletus, Türkiye

400 BCE

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Amarna, Egypt

10,000 BCE

550 BCE

Priene, Türkiye 350 BCE

Rome, Italy

Paris, France

1550

1779

New York City, New York, USA

Moscow, Russia

1838

Barcelona, Spain

1836

Masdar City, UAE

1906

2006

Digital Town

Toyota Woven City

2019

2021

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LEARNING FROM BOOKS Surroun ded by seduc tive monographs and glossy magazines, by Instagram and Pinterest, it is easy to forget that the concerns of architecture are more than just visual. But the vast knowledge of the profession is recorded in books for which the visual is a means rather than an end where ideas, relationships, theories, and plans of action prevail.

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COMPETITIONS 3D Printed House Architecture Competition 2026 This international competition focuses on 3D printing as a transformative tool in residential architecture.

Young architects are invited to explore new spatial, material, and construction possibilities through additive manufacturing, proposing future-oriented living environments that respond to sustainability and changing housing needs.

Cappadocia Competition 2023 Cappadocia has one of the most mesmerizing landscapes in Türkiye. The historic settlements and their relationship with their context has been a topic of interest for the local architects for a long time. With this competition, GAD aims to spread this unique culture to the architecture & design community globally and to start a discussion on how to add value architecturally without distorting the qualities that define Cappadocia.

Tree House Park Design Competition 2021 The competition promotes the generation of architectural ideas for outdoor activities for a forested area, which could also be applied in other protected green areas throughout the city of Istanbul as an example of the conservation of nature within cities on a global scale. Launched in January 2021 the jurors include leading names in architecture and ecology fields including Winka Dubbeldam, Chris Precht, Adreas Wenning, David Basulto, and Gokhan Avcioglu.

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ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

3D PRINTED HOUSE EDITION #3 2025

EXHIBITIONS LC 150+ Le Corbusier Exhibition Istanbul 2023 The GAD Foundation, in cooperation with RT & Q Architects of Singapore and ITU, Faculty of Architecture, opened the exhibition “LC150+ Le Corbusier Exhibition Istanbul 2023” in Istanbul. The exhibition showcases built and unbuilt buildings of the iconic Swiss-French architect displayed in 150+ models produced by RT&Q’s interns.

Illuyanka- Shaushka Sculpture 2023 Gokhan Avcioglu’s sculptures, Shaushka and Illuyanka, are inspired by his mythological gods and their abstract representation, symbolizing healing and eternity. These sculptures demonstrate the potency of organic forms and their utilization in the creation of contemporary art and sculpture, forming the foundation of Avcıoğlu’s abstract sculptures for 2023.

World Architecture Festival 2022 At the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal, the GAD Foundation, GLOBA, and the GAD Team participated in various events. They presented GAD’s shortlisted projects, held a book signing and launch event, and showcased their work in an exhibition.

Alpaslan Ataman Timeless Architecture Exhibition 2021 The exhibition is the first time Ataman’s archive has been opened to the public. The GAD Foundation has collected his drawings for the last 40 years into an Open Archive to show his unique way of working, reflect his inner world and his Ottoman vision.

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DIGITAL TOWN Data are the most valuable resource in the digital era. It is the new factor that defines individuals, settlements, and communities.

People want to live in places that are perpetually active and interactive. In this age, we are connected by something invisible.

It is over invisible, digital networks that people are able to organize and begin forming models of a decentralized settlement that Aerial view of Digital Town

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Timeline of settlement typologies

generates its own clean energy, recycles its water, and operates waste-free. Surrounded by permaculture fields and vertical farms that meet the food needs of the community, these new towns, limited to a maximum of 25,000 inhabitants, are built from scratch in untouched geographies. The two inseparable and essential elements of the settlement are activity and regenerative sustainability.

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An Art Nouveau building, which had been built on Siraselviler Street in 1903, has been restored and refurbished with additions of contemporary elements and annexes for new utilizations. To use on

Changa

several occasions, the is a Conceptualizing Context project through its dedicated use on both revitalizing the existing architecture and articulating renovated basement layout without contravening the loadbearing system of the structure.

#changa #istanbul #urban #heritage #structure #renovation #refurbishment #fusion #union #finedining #hybrid

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The magnifique geography where hotel and residence project is located, has one of the most amazing landscapes in

CAPPADOCIA KEPEZ taking this geographical, the world.

geological and historical context in

its purest form as the starting point for the architecture and planning and designed with a contextual approach, creates unique forms by creating gaps and masses by interacting with the topography and landscape, stir the imagination of the visitors.

#cappadocia #kepez #nevsehir #poetinrocks #topographicdesign #historicalsite #hospitality #residential #retail #cappadociatexture #carvearchitecture #morphologicalarchitecture #naturalarchitecture # hybridarchitecture

#cappadocia #nevsehir #avanos #historicaltexture #doubleskinfacade #undergroundarchitecture #interiordesign #carvearchitecture #hybridarchitecture

After the mining license of the project site The unique physical characteristics of in Turkmenlik in the Taşocakları region of the property, the historical sites within Nevşehir was revoked due to its harmful it, and the thermal springs discovered impact on the environmental fabric, the there were the main factors that shaped site of the former quarry was transformed the design of the project. In designing into an area designated for conservation- the intent was both making it a part of the “place” by using these physical and oriented tourism. cultural data of the geography to create is located on this the singular context of the project also reclaimed landscape.. During research making it create its “own context” by its on the location, archaeological sites special fabric and narrative it creates in were found in areas that had not yet been itself. In the project design the aim was mined, including a rare altar on the top to erase the boundaries between what of one plateau. These areas have since is natural and what is new and let them been deemed preservation regulation. merge together.

Cappadocia Spa Hotel

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View towards the terrace and the pool

View towards Cappadocia

View from the pool

A variation of the ceiling design

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Bodrum Halicarnassus is a port city with a history dating back 3000 years to Ionic, Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Ottoman periods. The Mausoleum of Mausolus is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world is located here. Along the Bodrum peninsula there are traces of many ancient settlements including Halicarnassus remaining in our day. On

the site situated on the slopes of Turkbuku, a village with ancient roots, having a full view of the bay, GAD has designed the

EXPLODED HOUSE composed of three buildings to create a contemporary and a more flexible architecture.

#explodedhouse #bodrum #residentialproject #fragmantedhouse #flexibility #atrium #openplan #landscape #view #concretedesign #pooldesign #roofpool #interiordesign

#autopia #istanbul #flowarchitecture #generative #pattern #groundscraper #screen #landscaped #metalwork #rooftop #transparency #versatility

AUTOPIA is a versatile building

designed with the benefits of urban strategies and future objectives set forth in design; comprised of an office, sales units, auction, TV studio, and spaces where first and second hand sea, land and air vehicles are sold and presented, tested, garden exhibitions and auctions are held.

Autopia plans to enhance its relation with various squares as an extension of its relation to the E-5 highway, which has been transformed into an internal road. In Autopia and its surroundings especially where there is an intensity of vehicles, design arrangements were made with pedestrian traffic and circulation in mind. In the building pulled back from the E-5 highway there are terraces,

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Eskisehir is a very rich city with its layered historical background ruled by great civilizations such as Hittite, Phrygia, Alexandria, Rome, Byzantium, Anatolian Seljuk and the Ottoman Empire.

Especially the Odunpazari region has a residential and tourism potential with its historic fabric. In this respect, the inspiration for

ESKISEHIR THERMAL & SPA HOTEL is the thermal waters of Eskisehir.

#thermal #eskisehir #hotel #spa #wellness #hospitality #dome #terrace #sustainable #bubbles #courtyard #holes #view #geothermal #hillside #local #modern #diagrams #createsillusions

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Facade typologies

See more of this project on page 174

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53 BUILDING

For the design of this concept for

TIRANA NEW MUNICIPALITY

the design team moved away from the accepted typology focusing instead on the geometries afforded to us by the site on the main avenue of the capital city of Albania. GAD focused on generating a dynamic, lithe configuration that not only took into account the interior spaces but the exterior and site perimeter to create a sustainable, zero carbon ecologically sensitive design. Furthermore, the structures generated by our design expanded usage of the building throughout the day in a 24 hour cycle as a harbinger for future modalities and generational aspirations for public space, nature, and outdoor activity. Our design called for an architecture that serves as an administrative center for the government but more importantly serves the public with multiple outdoor and indoor functions.

#tiranamunicipality #tirana #organicdesign #ecologicallysensitive #eco-techarchitecture #structure #sustainability #experimentaldesign

AION is an architectural ode to the

connection, where hospitality honours future: resilient, radiant, and rooted. A cultural privacy, and where architecture home shaped by today’s knowledge, serves as a caretaker of both nature and tomorrow’s promise, and a deep human well-being. reverence for place; it is envisioned The design is guided by a belief in a as a living organism, an intelligent, greener future, one where homes are responsive, and poetic sanctuary where not only efficient and adaptable, but daily life gracefully unfolds. Inspired by also inherently human. By shaping the timeless human desire for harmony, light, space, and air flow with care, the it offers not only a place to reside, but project creates a habitat that fosters living. a space to belong, where light, shadow, Rooted in respect for cultural values while and memory shape an atmosphere of accompanying contemporary lifestyles, serenity and renewal. Guided by a vision this house aspires to be more than a of sustainable elegance and forward- response to a brief. It is a thoughtful thinking design, the project aspires to contribution to a broader conversation become a timeless architectural gesture, about how one resides within nature. The simultaneously grounded in tradition and result is not just a home, but a synthesis oriented toward the future. The home is of environment, culture, and innovation conceived as a vessel of continuity and a radical proposal for what living can change: a place where families cultivate become.

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#SustainableVilla #Parametric #ClimateResponsive #InteriorExteriorFlow #SpatialExperiment #FormLab

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#ParametricFacade #MinimalSurface #OrganicArchitecture #FutureArchitecture #ArchitecturalResearch #Morphology

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Thyra, is conceived

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as a fluid facade study that rethinks the relationship between form, structure, and space within the contemporar y urban fabric. Shaped by minimal surfaces and organic geometries, it challenges rigid orthogonal layouts, offering the city a sculptural, dynamic, and seamless architectural expression.

Departing from conventional façade typologies, the surface is not treated as a flat enclosure but as a spatial and performative architectural element. Its continuous and curvilinear geometry dissolves strict boundaries between interior and exterior, transforming the building envelope into an active interface rather than a passive limit.

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