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Hotel Diplomat Renovation
Location: Turunç, Marmaris, Turkey
Project Team: Osman Ural, Sinan Yöney
The Diplomat Hotel is located in the former fishing village of Turunç, which is nestled between forested hills, and faces a pristine blue cove. Because of it’s isolation, the village has not been ruined by the mass tourism that other places in the region exhibit. It’s isolation also makes Turunç an ideal place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty that continuously fills the sense. These factors give The Diplomat a unique location that it should orient it’s identity towards. The hotel sits along the waterfront, giving it uninterrupted views to the cove, and in turn providing guests an idyllic perspective of the Aegean Sea.
Otel Diplomat is an integral part of the urban fabric. It’s entrance faces Cuhuriyet Caddesi, one of the village’s main circulation arteries, making it easily accessible. The hotel sits along the waterfront, giving it uninterrupted views to the cove, and in turn providing guests an idyllic perspective of the Aegean Sea. It’s location, however, is surrounded by competitors, more recently the Turunç Premium Hotel. Fortunately, The Diplomat has been around since the 1980’s, making it an integral part of the identity of Turunç. Therefore, the hotel should align itself with a client base that yearns for originality and rejects mass tourism oriented consumerism.
The visual identity of The Diplomat currently camouflages itself into the urban fabric of the village. It is a gradient of white buildings that slowly taper off into the surrounding green hills. To distinguish the hotel from it’s competitors, it is suggested to do something that is bold, while also staying true to the essence of the village and the hotel. This can be done by transforming the generic white facade to a bold new color! This bold pastel color works nicely contrasts with nature - the rich green vegetation and the turquoise blue sea. This simple act gives the hotel a new sense of vitality, while preserving its identity as a piece of architecture facing the Aegean Sea.
Otel Diplomat is an integral Part of the Urban Fabric. It’s entrance faces Cuhuriyet Caddesi, one of the village’s main circulation arteries, making it easily accessible. The hotel sits along the waterfront, giving it uninterrupted views to the cove, and in turn providing guests an idyllic perspective of the Aegean Sea. It’s location, however, is surrounded by competitors, more recently the Turunç Premium Hotel. Fortunately, The Diplomat has been around since the 1980’s, making it an integral part of the identity of Turunç. Therefore, the hotel should align itself with a client base that yearns for originality and rejects mass tourism oriented consumerism.
A prominent design element within the hotel is the arch, which is implemented consistently on a variety of elements. Both the windows and doors of the rooms have arches at the top of them. The ground floor facing the waterfront has the structural columns of the hotel have curved elements in their upper corners, flowing into the building. The corners and balustrades of the balconies have soft curved elements to them. The materials used in these elements are wooded windows inset into a concrete structure that is covered with a white stucco.
A prominent design element within the hotel is the arch, which is implemented consistently on a variety of elements. Both the windows and doors of the rooms have arches at the top of them. The ground floor facing the waterfront has the structural columns of the hotel have curved elements in their upper corners, flowing into the building. The corners and balustrades of the balconies have soft curved elements to them. The materials used in these elements are wooded windows inset into a concrete structure that is covered with a white stucco.
All of the design elements of the hotel can be holistically connected by using the arches throughout the hotel. Making the arches apparent throughout the design proposal will allow for the consistent geometric shape to define the overall concept of the hotel. The arch should therefore be used as a structural element that can define different types of spaces and functions throughout the hotel. The arch as a design element can also inform visual language of the interior spaces as well, making a holistic design for the hotel both inside and outside.
Using plaster / stucco as the main material in the project is not only cost efficient, it is eco-conscience. This is because acrylic and oil based paints have volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Plaster / stucco is naturally mold and mildew resistant. Because it is handmade, there are imperfections and a texture left on the walls, giving spaces a human touch. Applying a minimum amount of materials also reduces costs in labor and logistics as well. Using minimal accents such as these emit a sense of simplicity and intimacy, allowing guests to pay attention to the serene landscape that surrounds them.
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