CONSTRUCTION PROCESS | Can AKER

In this lecture, Can Aker is a guest who gave some information about construction process in Turkey.

The building is constructed by workers who are less educated people in Turkey. The most important thing while construction is work safety. The most important task of managers is to ensure work safety in construction site. Unfortunately administrations, architects, civil engineers and workers are insensitive to this issue in Turkey.

The task of the architect starts with the design process of the project. The task continues until the building is opened. The role of the architect during the construction is to coordinate mechanical, electrical, static and architectural projects. So the architect has some information about static, mechanic and electric project. It is necessary to carry out the material procurement and work schedule together. It is necessary to regard processes that affect each other. For instance there couldn’t be started to construct windows until the reinforced concrete process finished.

The expectation of the employer is that the job is finished in time and is cheap and at the same time it must be quality. It is possible if the architect has a good plan. For instance, in the middle of the construction it can be changed some material to decreasing price without changing quality (value engineering).

Project plan, work schedule plan as well as construction site should be planned. Place of containers, crane, diesel tank should be designed. Because environmental safety is important as well as work safety. There should be plans for health of workers, safety of workers as well as health of environment, night works, the sounds, the work hours etc.

There are some extra ordinary situations, which caused a pause in construction sites such as;

• Being affixed a seal by municipality
• Financial problems
• Bad planning
• Water rising
• Archeological excavation

MANAGEMENT & BIM | Koray Pekeriçli

In this lecture, Koray Pekeriçli who is specialist about construction management gave some information about intelligent/smart buildings. He mentioned about communication ways using in architecture with today’s technology.

In a construction project clients, architects, workers, civil engineers and other consultants work together. And to understand project in same manner, some tools has been used. Design communication has different material. Sketches, 2D drawings, 3D drawing and models are used in architecture as communication tools from past to present. The all tools are used in the past ant present but the technique of the drawings has been changed while changing technology. In the past architectural drawing was completely manual. So it needs a big workforce. But now the drawings, calculations..etc are done with computer. And it has some opportunities, which will be mentioned.

To understand construction process in past and present, he gave some information about construction of Empire State Building as a fact, which is a successful example of that time. In today, that technique using in construction of Empire State Building is not working. Because;

• Buildings are even more complex
• Many service embedded
• Efficiency standards require advanced solutions
• Extreme customization of form and functions
• Innovative materials and new detail solutions
• Health and safety requirements complicate the whole construction process
• Operation of facilities require more information from earlier stages

Because of these reasons, today CADD is been used as a tool. The benefits of computer aided design and draft is efficiency, consistency, reusability and repeatability.

Then, he gave some information about Building Information Modeling which defined as “an intelligent simulation of architecture”. And it has 6 key characterictics of BIM;

• Digital
• Spatial (3D)
• Meaasurable
• Comprehensive
• Accessible
• Durable

BIM manage the whole process even the electricity, cables, structural organisations, mechanical system etc. It focuses on products and processes. It stores all the information to complete and describe the project.

PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE | Emrah Köşgeroğlu

In this lecture, Emrah Köşgeroğlu who is master architect and specialist on restoration gave some information about protection of cultural heritage. First of all he mentioned about what cultural heritage is. There is two kinds of cultural heritage;

– Concrete Cultural Heritage

• Portable cultural heritage such as picture, sculpture, money, book..etc.
• Immovable cultural heritage such as monuments, archeological sites, urban sites, civil architecture works..etc.
• Sub-aquatic cultural heritage such as underwater architectural works and cities..etc.

– Non-concrete cultural Heritage such as oral works, performing arts, traditions..etc.

There 2 main laws about protection of cultural heritage. All the restoration is planned respect to these laws. The first law published in 1983 and called as “Law of protection of cultural and natural existence”. And the second one is about reorganizing the first law in 2004. The architects are interested in the protection of the law.

The restoration process has mainly 4 stages;

• Decision of protection
• Drawing s of building survey and restoration
• Agreement of regional protection institutions
• Application

 Team of Restoration;

• Restoration Experts
• Architects
• Landscape Architects | Urban Planners
• Art Historians
• Engineers
• Experts of protection of material

Protection process is applied respect to Venice Charter 1964, which are universal principles. Interventions made to the structure should be compatible with the structure as technical, material and design, be reversible and distinguishable from the original structure. Reconstruction is not restoration or not protection.

While working on restoration of a structure, three projects are drawn. Relief and analysis about site, which shows the situation now. Restitution plan is drawn which is the first appearance of the structure. Interferences are drawn which shows the finished state of the project. Köşgeroğlu gave 2 examples of application. They are Anavarza Antik Kenti Giriş Kapısı(Adana), and Mamure Hamamı (Anamur).

FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY | Tanju Ataylar

In this lecture, Tanju Ataylar who is fire consultant gave some information about fire and life safety in structure. He focused on main techniques of fire safety. Fire prevention and fire protection are the main issues for fire safety. Fire protection includes passive protection systems and active fire protection systems as fire plugs. Passive protection systems are related with architectural design. Some regulations to prevent fire in the structure are applied to the building like escape distance, used materials.

Fire protection is achieved by the combination of prevention, protection and egress.

• Prevention of ignition
• Detection of fire
• Control of fire development
• Confinement of the effects of fire,
• Extinguishment of fire
• Provision of refuge or evacuation facilities
• Staff reaction
• Provision of fire safety information to occupants

Egress can be defined as “a continuous and unobstructed way of travel from any point in a building or structure to public way consisting of three separate and distinct parts (which are the exit access, the exit and the exit discharge)”.

COLLABORATION WITH ELECTRICAL ELECTRONIC ENGINEER | Özgür Ulupınar

In this lecture, Özgür Ulupınar who is electrical electronic engineer gave some information about basic electrical installation concepts for architects.

 HIGH VOLTAGE is 1000 volts and above. It is used for connection of electricity to large structures. It is distributed with special underground cables or overhead cables. High voltage is lethal. LOW VOLTAGE is the name given to voltages below 1000 volts. 220 volt is used in daily life in Turkey. Usually it is distributed with insulated cables. High-voltage transformers with devices called transformer into low voltage.

The transformer is placed on the pole or in the building. The transformer is very dangerous because all the electrical connections are open in the transformer. Although not very good in terms of aesthetics, the transformers are installed outside in independent buildings in some structures.

The generator supplies electricity to the building during power interruptions. Diesel engines are used in generators. The diesel engine provides rotational motion. A piece called an alternator turns the rotation movement into electric energy. Generators due to diesel engines;

• It makes a lot of noise and vibrates
• Exhaust gas (smoke and smell)
• Plenty of air is needed for cooling and burning fuel.

Sound insulation in the generator room is an important point. The generator room must be separated by dilatation to reduce vibration while designing structure.

The electrical rooms in the buildings;

• High-voltage room (According to needs)
• Transformer room (According to needs)
• Low-voltage room (Absolutely exists)
• Generator room (Generally exists)
• Uninterruptible power supply room (According to needs)
• Communication and security systems room (Generally exists)
• Electric rooms and shafts (Sharfts absolutely exist, rooms according to needs)

There are 3 points to consider when designing electrical rooms in terms of architecture;

• The doors of the electric rooms are always opened outside.
• No wet space is placed on top of electric rooms.
• Other installations do not pass through the electric rooms.

Elevated floor is used in electricity rooms. The raised floor is manufactured with checkered plate on the steel construction.

A lightning rod is used to protect the building from lightning. Lightning rod is not a single rod. Absolute faraday cage should be applied.

COLLABORATION WITH MECHANICAL ENGINEER | Mehmet OKUTAN

In this lecture, the issue is about collaboration among architects and mechanical engineers. Mehmet Okutan was the speaker of the lecture who is a mechanical engineer and also is working at Okutan Engineering Company in Ankara. The lecture under the topic of “relationship among mechanical systems and architectural design” was informative in terms of mechanical details of buildings and sustainable design.

While architecture was a profession based on engineering, it became the leader of the design team with the emergence of different specialist fields.

The architect leads the design of the building as the leader of the team. For this reason, it should be exclusively used, and the work of other fields of expertise should also be dominant. Even if the architect does not have the knowledge, he must have an idea.

 Building technology explores how the building can improve its performance against a variety of factors like environment, energy, movement, yield..etc. Architectural solutions that were formerly experiential are now being provided by various specialists with technology.

“A house is a machine for living in.  Baths, sun, hot-water, cold-water, warmth at will, conservation of food, hygiene, beauty in the sense of good proportion.  An armchair is a machine for sitting in and so on.” Mr.Okutan is saying that the structure looks like a machine with building construction process, function and life.

INTEGRATED DESIGN aims to produce sustainable architecture, all specialists studied with together.

• Experts predict with simulations and identify the parts that need to be redesigned.
• Allowing the building to fully meet expectations.
• Avoids the extra cost that may arise from incorrect manufacturing.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN should be based on energy conservation with renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind power, wave and tidal power, geothermal energy, hydropower in buildings. Efficient usage and design of external and internal loads are important to have sustainable design. Wrong practices in external loads and internal loads cause extra cost and work power.

Performance Expectations

• space heating
• lighting
• space cooling
• water heating

External Loads   orientation, façade, shading…

Internal Loads  lighting, equipment, occupancy, ventilation…

LIFE CYCLE / TIME FRAME

The success of the building; ‘Is about life, place, life, ecological effects and anticipations from the building. The achievement parameters are different in the different measures.

COLLABORATION WITH CIVIL ENGINEER | Zafer Kınacı

In this lecture, the issue is about collaboration among architects and civil engineers. Zafer Kınacı was the speaker of the lecture who is a civil engineer and also is founder of Kınacı Engineering Company in Ankara. He gave some information about the designing static project, structural system of the building and the materials, which is used in wide-span structure. In the end of the lecture Mr. Kınay gave some examples that the structural project is designed by him like Next Level, J.W. Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, Tim Towers.

Because of the typology of the structure designed by him, the important issue is the largest opening with the minimum columns. While designing a house, the width of a room is maximum 8-10 meters. Most materials are sufficient to overcome this. But if the gym or auditorium or conference room is designed, 30-40 meters opening is difficult to pass without any columns. As a solution of this problem, the prestressed concrete can be used in wide-span spaces which known in Turkish ‘artgerme beton’. When compared with concrete, it can be possible that wide-span spaces can be obtained using thinner sections. When compared the steel, the prestressed concrete can cheaper.

 Technically, after reinforcement is placed, ropes are placed. Concrete is poured and after the concrete is resistance, ropes are stretched. In this stage, this stress reduces the moment of the beam. As the moment of the beam decreases, the deflection decreases and the moment of inertia decreases. So that when the dimensions of the column and the beam are reduced, larger openings can be obtained.

 As an example, in Next Level, 7.5 m centilever was passed with a 40 cm prestressed concrete slap. In J.W. Marriott Hotel, 27 m span and 9m cantilever were passed with prestressed concrete.

ORGANIZATION IN A LARGE SCALE PROJECT | Cem Altınöz

The topic of this lecture is practical organization and development of project in a large scale project. The guess is Cem Altınöz who is one of the partners of Öncüoğlu Archicture.

 Firstly he mentioned that the difference between large project and small scale project is not only quantities or the bigness of area. While growing project, the organization is also growing. The organization becomes more complex. In a large scale project, as an architect, you work with two kinds of group. The first one is minor project groups, which are working during construction of project. The minor project groups are civil engineers, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, landscape architecture. The second one is consultants that work during design of project. Main consultations are acoustic, fire, façade, kitchen design, coordinated ceiling plans..etc. The architect has to deal with each consultant. Besides that the architect have conciliating role among consultants.

 After the design of the structure as last stage, some sets of drawing must be produced for the construction of the structure. It should be drawn architectural drawings include plan, section and elevation drawings, (In section drawing, flooring types should be specified and layers of floor should be seen) mechanical plan(HVAC), static plan and electrical drawings. Together with drawings, finishing schedule should be prepared.

 End of the lecture Mr.Altınöz talked about the project and represented some drawings of his works about this topic.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION | Chamber of Architect

In this course, Mrs. Osmanpaşaoğlu who is one of the members of the board of Chamber of Architect in Ankara was giving information about Municipal regulations, professional organization and chamber of architects regulation.

The chamber of architect has link to TMMOB(Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects) with 25 chambers include chamber of civil engineers, chamber of interior architects. The Chamber of Architects of TMMOB is a constitutional professional organization established in 1954 with a special law, working for the public, the public and the society with the determination of the rules concerning the application of the architectural profession. In the 1950s, while aiming to be a founding professional chamber, it aimed to become a society-oriented organization in the 1960s. In the chamber of architect, there are about 50000 active members.

The chamber of architect has 26 branches like chamber of architect Ankara. The chamber of architect in Ankara, there are about 8800 active members. There are 7 principal and 7 alternate members in board of directors. Board of members is designated with election. Board of members is volunteer.

Duties of the chamber of architect are (evaluated with relevant institutions);

• Determination of architectural education in universities
• Determination of professional competence
• Continuous professional development
• Solution of professional problems
• Legal support to colleagues
• Expert service in courts
• Protection of cultural property (for instance ‘İller Bankası’, Meclis Camii’, ‘Atatürk Orman Çiftliği’)

Because the chamber of architects is a member of the association of international architects, it can defend the rights of Turkish architects working abroad.

ÇED(Çevre Etki Değerlendirme) is one of the important working of Chamber of Architects. This working examines the effects of large structures (plant, dam..etc) on the environment. This report, taking into account such factors as infrastructure, urban silhouette, and shadow transportation is important for environment. If the report is negative, the related organizations are informed.

Besides that, the chamber of architects in Ankara publishes printed and online magazines and writings. They are working on children to develop their understanding of architecture.

 

PRACTICE ORGANIZATION | Onur Yüncü

This lecture is about the process and circumstances of establishment of architectural practice in Turkey. We discussed what legal processes are required to establish an architectural office. General business necessities are to establish an architectural office;

-An address where the business is carried out

-A registration to the Tax Office where your address listed (In this step, you should specified what kind of company it is.)

• As a corporation (anonim şirket)
• As limited liability company (limited şirketi)
• As self employed architect (serbest meslek erbabı)
• As ordinary partnership (adi ortaklık)

-A registration to SGK

• For self employment insurance (Bağkur)
• For employees insurance (SSK)

 After these process the architectural office is established.

Also registration to the office to the Chamber of Architect as architectural practice necessities is needed. Firstly as a architect, you must registered the Chamber of Architects. The office is also registered the Chamber of Architect. Office registration certificate, which is taken from Chamber of Architect, is given to the municipality.

 After establishing the business, one thing that needs to be known is the tax. In Turkey, taxes are categorized in three different titles.

• VAT(KDV) is a tax collected from every value generating economic practice in different percentages. The expenditure VAT is subtracted from income VAT of a month and the resulting amount is paid to the government the next month. It is not income.

• Witholding Tax(Muhtasar) is a tax of income of your employees that you pay your work.

• Income Tax(Gelir Vergisi) is the tax that is deduced from your annual income.

 A price offer is the initial proposal for any professional work and it includes;

• a price
• contents of the proposed work
• how the work will be carried out
• excluded related works
• terms and conditions

 There is a regulation of Chambers of Architects and Engineers to standardization fee.

If the offer is accepted, a contract should be prepared which is a legal document. It defines the framework of any professional work as well as the fee. It is document that guarantees business seriousness and profit. It is signed by both parties and approved by a notary. It should include the same issues ad offer’s.

 After the contract, there must be a layout, which are defined according to necessities of each project. In Turkey, a layout is suggested by the chamber of architects.

• Preliminary Studies
• Concept Design
• Design Development
• Construction Drawing
• Tender Works
• Site Supervision