METU Research Center / EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture

Text description provided by the architects. The Middle East Technical University (METU) is one of the oldest and most prestigious Turkish universities. Research is one of the most important activities of the institution. This project was conceived with the plan to unite twenty-three existing research facilities sponsored by the university in a single complex, increasing interaction amongst those involved.

An atrium at the center of the space serves as a meeting area. Aside from research laboratories, classrooms, meeting rooms, and conference spaces are part of the 26,500-square-meter (285,243-square-foot) project. The new research center was conceived to be part of a complex that includes the university campus and a techno park.

An alley that includes “follies” intended to be used as teahouses or cafés passes over the ring road that separates the techno park from the campus and connects both with the new METU Research Center.