An Architectural Intervention Integrated into Daily Life in Datça
The value of an architectural intervention is determined not only by its design but also by how it is used in daily life. Datça Summer Workshop 2026 , held in the Karaköy neighborhood of Datça, adopted this idea and added a 55-square-meter lightweight wooden structure to the village's communal area.
The workshop, organized by the architecture departments of Istanbul Bilgi University , Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University , and Boston-based Wentworth Institute of Technology , took place from September 7–12, 2026. This year's theme for the program, which has been researching the cultural geography and architectural heritage of the Datça Peninsula since 2019, was "Weddings, Celebrations and Food in the Mediterranean."
The workshop's third Lightweight Structures project brought together architecture students and instructors, resulting in a public space intervention that was born from local needs, designed collaboratively, and built on-site.
From Village Weddings to Public Spaces
In the Mediterranean region, weddings are more than just celebrations. Preparing the food, setting the tables, hosting guests, and managing all these processes together are important parts of social life.
In the villages of the Datça Peninsula, this tradition continues through the culture of communal work. Wedding preparations transform into social gatherings where neighbors and families come together, tasks are divided, and shared labor becomes visible.
The starting point of the workshop was this collective production method. The existing structures located on the edge of the open-air wedding venue in Karaköy, which serve for food preparation and dishwashing, were chosen as the project area. This is not only a space used for weddings; it also hosts other activities such as driver's license exams at different times of the year.
Therefore, the fundamental question of the design was how to create a space that could adapt to the changing needs of the village at different times , rather than creating a temporary arrangement serving a single activity .
A 55 square meter multipurpose intervention area.
Designed as a continuation of the existing service structure, the 55-square-meter wooden structure consists of very simple architectural elements that support different uses.
Shade fabrics, work desks, shelves, and seating units form the basic components of the structure, while a continuous bench stretching along the facade facing the wedding area enhances the social use of the space.
These elements assist with food preparation and serving processes during wedding arrangements, while at other times they provide an infrastructure that can be used for relaxation, gathering, and the sale of local products.
The design's versatility stems not from creating a completely empty space, but from tangible uses that can cater to different needs.
One of the most striking features of the structure is that it is placed directly on the ground without any foundation. The lightweight timber construction positions it somewhere between a traditional building and a large-scale piece of urban furniture. The fact that the structure is sometimes described as "a gigantic piece of furniture" during the workshop process summarizes this approach.
A canopy inspired by marketplaces.
Given Datça's hot climate, shade is a crucial component of the design. The fabric surfaces placed between and on top of the wooden supports are inspired by traditional street markets in Türkiye. These coverings, stretched between stalls, vehicles, or building facades in markets, create shaded passageways using a low-cost and practical method.
A similar approach has been adopted in the structure in Karaköy. Stretched fabrics define areas protected from the sun without completely enclosing the space. Thus, the building acquires a permeable character that maintains its visual and physical relationship with its surroundings.
However, the design wasn't shaped solely according to summer conditions.
Following requests from villagers for covers that could be easily removed during windy winter months, the covers were designed to be easily attached and removed.
Wooden slats, placed in pockets sewn into the edges of the fabrics, are connected to the support system via elastic cords and hooks. This simple connection solution allows the structure to adapt to seasonal conditions.
This detail reveals an important aspect of the project: local users are not only future users of the design, but also actors contributing to shaping design decisions.
From Drawing to Full Scale Production
The design process for Datça Summer Workshop 2026 began with online research and meetings held in August. Participants examined the work of previous workshops while researching Datça's cultural and architectural context. Ideas were developed through sketches, three-dimensional models, and technical drawings.
The process was conducted with an approach closer to the collaborative production method of an architectural firm than to a traditional teacher-student relationship. In the field work that began on September 7th, the design decisions were translated into full-scale production.
Students and instructors first prepared templates for the production of the wooden frames. Then, the modular carriers were assembled, placed in position, and the seating surfaces, tables, shelves, and fabric canopies were completed.
During the six-day construction process, the ideas developed in the drawings were compared with the actual dimensions of the material, the assembly sequence, and the physical conditions of the site.
This experience shows that architectural education is not just about producing designs; it also involves working with materials, making decisions during the implementation process, and developing solutions together.
The value of architecture becomes apparent through its use.
The structure built in Karaköy does not propose a large-scale transformation of public space. Instead, it supports the existing functions of a space that is already in use and creates new possibilities for use. This is where the strength of the project lies.
Instead of building a new one, integrating into an existing structure, placing local production and sharing culture at the center of the design, and incorporating user needs into the process can transform a small-scale architectural intervention into a meaningful part of everyday life. Even though the design and construction process of the structure ends when Atölye is completed, the story of the space is just beginning .
Whether in wedding preparations, the sale of local products, a moment of rest, or some other as yet unforeseen use, the true value of the building will become apparent over time.
Datça Summer Workshop 2026 reminds us that architecture is not only about designing new spaces, but also about making places where people already come together more functional and shareable.
Project Details
Project: Datça Summer Workshop 2026 – Lightweight Structures III
Theme: Weddings, Celebrations and Food in the Mediterranean
Location: Karaköy, Datça, Muğla, Turkey
Date: September 7–12, 2026
Area: 55 m²
Organization: Istanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Architecture, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Architecture, Wentworth Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Design
Workshop Facilitators: Burcu Göksoy, Bora Özkuş, Gökçen Erkılıç, İlke Tekin, Kerem Erginoğlu, Mark Mulligan, Sebastián Erazo, Stefano Pugliese, Zeynep Şankaynağı
Research Assistants: Burcu Kayhan, Yaren Aksakal, İbrahim Nalbant
Partnerships: Datça Municipality, Datça City Council, National Wood Association
Main Sponsor: Asmaz Wood
Other Sponsors: Muğla Association of Independent Architects, Kavakdibi Cafe, Taş Apart Hotel, Fora Hotel
Instagram: @datcasummerschool · @erazo_pugliese
Source: Datça Summer Workshop 2026 – Lightweight Structures III project booklet.
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