Vineyard for Ürgüp City Center

Corrosion / Images

The images and impressions that come to mind when we think about Ürgüp today reveal the corrosion of this unique geography under the rapid consumption of modern tourism and popular culture. In our view, the fundamental cause of this corrosion is the cultural-urban disconnect created by rapid consumption habits. Another manifestation of this disconnect is the erosion of collective memory, a deeper issue that increases with each new generation, along with urban corrosion.

In our opinion, an approach focusing on Ürgüp should concentrate on learning from the region, searching for the meanings and essences in the shaping of the geography, rather than creating temporary urban spaces that will further deepen this erosion. In this regard, we believe it would be more appropriate to try to understand the rural and urban habits of existence that humans have developed in this extraordinary geography over centuries, and how these habits have shaped the space, rather than focusing on formal elements.

1. Learning from Geography / Traces

Looking at Ürgüp as a whole, the ecological line along the Damsa River has been considered fertile agricultural land since historical times. Especially during the Silk Road's activity in the region, lavender cultivation, walnut cultivation, almond cultivation, horticulture, beekeeping, and viticulture were important production activities.

Many of the rock-carved spaces, accessible for tourism purposes, show evidence of similar production activities or the provision of suitable conditions for storing harvests over many years.

Based on these traces, our holistic approach is to move away from today's superficial world of images and to discuss how these traces of production carried by the geography can be evaluated as data within Ürgüp's current central fabric. The central area that will take shape in accordance with these decisions will serve as a starting point for a series of production networks that will reference the entire city and prevent the memory erosion mentioned above.