projects and articles by members

Children and Architecture project in Ankara

I have been working with children since 1995. Until 1999 these studies were concentrated on different subjects like participation in social projects for populations in social and financial difficulty as either responsible coordinator or volunteer. After the great earthquake in Turkey in 1999, I started to work with children in earthquakes. After this, my studies with children were mainly concentrated on urban culture and architecture.

I am a member of the ÇATI Group for Children Culture which coordinates and participates in projects and activities to support children culture. One of ÇATI's current projects is MESP (Museum Education Section Project). At the same time, since May 2002, I have been working with a group (architects, architecture students, pedagogues, teachers) on the Children and Architecture Project as project coordinator. This project is mainly supported by the Ankara Section of the Chamber of Architects of Turkey which is also the Turkey section of UIA. Ankara University, Center for Research on Children Culture, is also a partner in this project.

We are working with children from 6 to 18 years old. The goals are:

• to support children's creativity and pure conscience;
• to be able to learn from children;
• to educate children as citizens who have the responsibility of making the right choices concerning the environment, urban heritage and human rights as well during their life;
• to allow children to meet that which is "different". Project activities can be classified as follows:
• Urban Activities: small-scale street festivals, exhibitions and outdoor workshops to promote urban culture and daily use of urban space,
• Workshops: special studies on definite topics (ancient houses/life/cities, your own house etc.) at important Ankara buildings and spaces like museums (Anatolian Civilization Museum), Ankara Castle, Roman Hamam, architecture schools, etc.,
• Children and Architects Meetings: small workshops at schools with the participation of architects and children on several topics,
• Summer Schools: one-weeklong activities mainly based on the urban and architectural heritage of Ankara, ending with a street festival and exhibition,
• Children Meetings: To allow children to meet with other children from a different city, from a different origin, from different parts of the city, etc.

Our project will be presented at the UIA 2005 Congress in Istanbul with its productions: exhibitions, publications, international workshops, etc. After the congress I am dreaming of finding finance for an architecture school for children in Ankara, which will be the next step of the Children and Architecture Project.

M. Onur Yilmaz

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