House ‘Ö’, built in 2006 for a well-known journalist and writer in Turkey, is located in the Yalıkavak district in the Turkish seaside area of Bodrum. Bodrum, formerly called “Halicarnassus of Caria”, is a Turkish port town in the southwestern Aegean region and Yalıkavak is located at the northeastern tip of the Bodrum peninsula. This village sits on an advantageous and picturesque site along the Aegean cost. The house’s carefully-chosen location offers striking views of the Aegean sea, in an untouched, impressive flora and fauna. A modern life style approach was aimed, with a minimum impact on the surrounding environment. Framing the plasticity of rocks at the back of the house and the beautiful Aegean sea in the front, the design enhances the residence’s relationship with the geography and scenery of the area. It appears to be blending to the magnificent environment surrounding it in a natural, unobtrusive way.
Great importance has been placed on minimizing any changes to the topography of the land; the swimming pool is set between the garden and the house without creating any retaining walls. The 160 m house has been constructed with stone finish, which is quite common in Mediterranean architecture. Stone is a typical feature in such a climate and dominates the architectural texture and morphology along with the ‘white cubes’ in the region. The house aims to be local while being contemporary, with its choice of materials, as well: stone walls, exposed concrete and color white. The building consists of three main stone units with two transparent connecting masses.The glass used in the connecting units renders transparency to the overall structure and creates the sense of a single, spacious living area.
