A Collective Playground Design For Earthquake Survivor Kids

Sümer Middle School Garden, After The Installation | by Architecture for All 

➔ An Example of Transformation and Collective Work: Sümer Middle School Playground

Proje Title:
Playground Units Design For Earthquake Survivor Kids in Sümer Middle School Camping Settlement, Kahramanmaraş

Dates:
13 - 15 March 2023 | Ideation
15 - 18 March 2023 | Execution & Production Aşaması
20 March 2023 | Transportation & Installation

Location:
İstanbul, Küçükçekmece (Production)
Kahramanmaraş, Dulkadiroğlu, Sümer Middle School (Arrvial & Installation)

Volunteering Participants:
Gülşah Özgen (adaptör projekt), Sıla Bozdeveci, (adaptör projekt), Alp Serif Besen, Buğçe Zeka, Canip Serten, Gizem Temiz, Güle Turkurt, Merve Özhan, Nihal Demir, Ayça Kanbur (HiM), Büşra Topaktaş (HiM), Demir İnhan (HiM), Ela Gök (HiM), İbrahim Emre Gündoğdu (HiM), İdil Bayar (HiM), Merve Gül Özokcu (HiM) Sam Price (HiM) Setenay Kamazoğlu (HiM), Tayfun Parlak (HiM), Zehra Sumeli

Two earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 respectively, hit Turkey and Syria on 6th of February. Having been the epicenter of the earthquake, Kahramanmaraş was one of the most affected cities in the area. Today, thousands of people are still taking shelter in first aid camping settlements. Following the first weeks of the earthquake several collectives had started looking for ways in which they could better the living conditions of the less privileged groups of people in the area. One of those groups was kids, who were usually missed out in larger plans and, even at times, had to face the worst of conditions. 

An independent group of people constructing and coordinating a post-earthquake camping settlement based around the building of Sümer Middle School in Kahramanmaraş, fırst realized the conditions the kids had to live with, in the area. The collective group reached out for collaborators who could volunteer in designing and building habitats for kids. One of the most imminent needs was a gathering space for kids to spend their days, which would ideally have an enclosure along with playground components. 

Upon the open call, adaptör projekt and Herkes İçin Mimarlık (Architecture for All) responded promptly. Both teams started getting in contact with other individuals, eventually reaching out to 20 volunteers who were willing to spare some time to help build a space for kids in Kahramanmaraş. The group of twenty, all from different professional backgrounds, came together in Istanbul. They were provided with a workshop space and materials from old urban furnitures ready to be repaired and repurposed. The team had 3.5 days to come up with a final product that could easily be dismantled and transported to the camping settlement, later to be reconstructed in place.

During Construction | by Emre Gündoğdu, Gülşah Özgen, Sıla Bozdeveci

The volunteers started out by having an online meeting where they could share their ideas and designs prior to the construction. The meeting was quite helpful, yet the volunteers already knew that they had to revise their ideas upon arriving at the workshop. The first day began by rediscovering what sorts of materials were stocked in the field, how they could be repaired and what opportunities they could offer in terms of design. Having already started repairing the found materials, towards the end of the day, the group completed the construction of the central platform on which the kids would gather, and the base for several playground components. 

During Construction | by Emre Gündoğdu, Gülşah Özgen, Sıla Bozdeveci

In the following day, the whole structure with an enclosure in the center and playground units attached to it, was almost completed. The group spent the last day finalizing the overall structure and eventually dismantling it. In the following week, the dismantled pieces were transported to Kahramanmaraş. The design was intended to be easily rebuilt in place by only 2 or 3 people with a drill and a few tools. Upon arrival at the camping settlement, the design was quickly reinstalled - ready for kids to play around even in the evening of the same day.

Moving and installation process from Istanbul to Kahramanmaraş | Herkes için Mimarlık

Before starting working in the workshop, the team already knew that the workshop space and the materials that were stocked, would present unexpected challenges yet also new opportunities. Thus, the team had to adopt several approaches towards the project. First would be to take quick and collectively approved actions, for the design had to be reshaped many times along the way. Second approach was the method of Do-It-Together. The volunteers took roles in almost all parts of the project. All participants got to experience each step of the construction, thus allowing all to share the ownership of the final product and the overall experience itself.

Oyun Elemanları | Çizimler: Alp Şerif Besen. Fotoğraflar: Ayça Kanbur, Gülşah Özgen, Gizem Temiz, Sıla Bozdeveci

Afterall, stripped of all professional titles and backgrounds, the group of volunteers experienced a horizontally organized, collective work environment. In that sense, the project was intended to set out an example or a guide for all who might face similar challenges one day. Similar projects are being carried out all around Turkey. Teams and collectives are still in the field, trying to further provide the survivors of the earthquake with better living conditions. Those who wish to take part in a collective work, can always reach out to any of the individual participants or the teams mentioned in this project.

Axonometric Drawings: by Alp Şerif Besen