Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, is a coastal peninsula located in the southwest Anatolia in Turkey. It's in the Mediterranean climate zone which means hot and humid summers with mild but sunny winters. Now an incredibly popular tourist spot, Bodrum was a marine trade center starting from the early 1700s. The social, cultural and economical situations have changed drastically starting in the 1960s when people discovered the beauty of the coastal line housing small white cottages spread on the mountains. A rapid population growth led to unorganized urbanization and disregard of the traditional architecture and construction forms.
Recently there has been attempts towards developing a common language between vernacular and contemporary architecture. These provide new energy conservative solutions to climatic conditions. Personally, I still prefer, much like an old lady, our small traditional house that was built mostly as an adaptation to the Mediterranean climate.
The traditional housing in Bodrum, which was established in the early 1800s, is a successful response to the climatic conditions and natural environment as well as the complex historical and social background painted by the interaction of various societies and cultures (Tanriover, 79). Bodrum vernacular architecture differentiates from other Aegean architecture especially in the consideration of public space, a result of the social conditions.Since different societies have been living together in the same environment, private gardens are considered public gathering areas where people interact with each other (Karasu, 35).
Climatic problems in the region are: the temperature change between day and night, extreme heat and air ventilation. Traditional houses addressed these issues with various structural design solutions. The houses, as a community, were built close together with high walls along narrow streets and courtyards to provide shading during the day. The structures are built to face the sea to get the best angle for cool air ventilation.
The exteriors are painted completely white by the use of albarium to avoid the radiation as much as possible (Tanriover, 83). They also provide a beautiful view with the natural plant of the region, bougainvillea. The windows and doors are very important to the circulation of heat whereas they should be closed during the day to keep the heat out and wide open during the night to help with the cool air ventilation. The fisherman, who built the traditional dwellings, brought the sea into their houses not just by locating them next to the water but also by implementing various references to the sea throughout their living spaces. By painting the windows and doors green and blue they provided insolation through color tones -people still seem to enjoy it! Openings and spaces such as terraces and porches also establish a vital part of radiation reduction. Most houses have a small open terraces both at the entrance and at the facade that faces the sea in order to increase air circulation and provide shading for the outside area. All other openings on the exterior are constructed as small as possible and are located at the highest points so that the rising heat could have an exit. The designers of these houses also made the rooftops flat with a slight curve to one side and covered them with a mixture of sand and vegetation to provide insolation (Karasu, 36). Overall the traditional dwellings provide various solutions to major climatic problems without harming the natural landscape.
The dramatic increase of population has led to major urban, social and economical changes in Bodrum. As the population and the demand for housing increased, there was an irritating amount of houses that were built with no consideration of the landscape, climate or any natural effect for that matter. This sprawl led to a very high non-renewable energy consumption, which as we've seen globally, has tragic effects on our planet. Thus new building designs that incorporate energy conserving ideas that reduce the impact of extreme climatic conditions started rising. Designs such as double skin facades, two story open houses to increase wind ventilation and the use of various local and sustainable materials are being introduced to the region.
The A++ Architects have designed a net zero energy house out of recycled shipping containers which has a low energy water storage system that runs through the structure and also provides insolation. The wind power energy is highlighted in this example as a means of using available renewable resources for architectural design.Vernacular architecture has definitely established many key solutions to climatic problems in Bodrum. Modern architecture is starting to realize the value of these dwellings by connecting traditional methods with today's technology and energy, environmental and global knowledge.