bermekan Architecture
Architecture
Villa, tiny house, bungalow, vineyard house, farmhouse, Turkish house or restoration: we shape the building to its site, its climate and your needs. Shape your own building below, read your land, and explore the right way to build in your region.
01 · Shape your building
Choose your needs, your site and the climate, and watch your building take shape.
Pick the building type, material, region and site, then add a garden, courtyard and other extras. The drawing changes, and alongside you'll see how the choice fits the climate, how it behaves in an earthquake, how fast it builds and what to watch for. The scores are a relative guide; we make the final call together after reading the site.
Building type
Material and method
Region and climate
Site
Extras
02 · Choosing and reading land
The site is half the building.
No land yet: what to check
Tick what you already know; what's left is your list of questions for the seller or the municipality.
Download the list as a PDF to take with you See the places we have, or tell us what you're looking for
I have land: what should I build?
- A gentle south-facing slope
- A stepped house with a long front: lower floor set into the ground, upper floor open to the view.
- A steep slope
- A small footprint on posts or stepped units; retaining walls and drainage first.
- Flat, open land
- A single-storey courtyard layout with a windbreak of trees.
- Wooded land
- Light timber units set between the trees, with a firebreak.
- Coastal land
- A building set back from the shore, its back to the wind, built to resist salt.
- Vineyard or farmland
- A vineyard house within the permitted size, placed at the edge so it doesn't split the land.
- A village plot
- The same scale and materials as the neighbours, with a courtyard that opens inwards.
- An existing old building
- Look before you demolish: restoration or strengthening is often more valuable and lasting.
03 · Region and climate
Every region has its own right way to build.
Black Sea
Very wet, humid, mild
- Steep roofs and deep eaves; get rainwater away fast.
- A stone plinth and ventilated floors; timber raised off the ground, as in the traditional granary.
- A ground survey and drainage are essential against landslides.
Marmara
Mild, four seasons
- Large areas carry high earthquake risk; a ground survey and design to the earthquake code (TBDY 2018).
- Prevailing winds shape the plan.
- Home of the timber-framed Turkish house: Safranbolu, Beypazarı, Bursa.
Aegean
Hot dry summers, mild winters
- Summer sun control: shade, pergolas, deep windows and cross-ventilation.
- Stone and light-coloured surfaces reflect heat.
- High earthquake risk; plan for water supply and drought.
Mediterranean
Hot humid summers, mild winters
- Shade is the most valuable material: porches, arcades, shaded terraces.
- Ventilation for humidity; salt-resistant materials by the coast.
- High cooling loads in summer; solar is very productive.
Central Anatolia
Continental: hot summers, snowy winters, big day-night swings
- Thermal mass evens out the day-night swing: adobe, stone, earth.
- Snow loads and frost; foundations go below the frost line.
- Rock and stone in Cappadocia, adobe in the villages.
Eastern Anatolia
Long harsh winters, heavy snow
- A compact plan, small sheltered windows and strong insulation.
- Heavy snow loads; roofs and entrances are designed for drifts.
- Parts of the region carry high earthquake risk; a ground survey is a must.
Southeastern Anatolia
Very hot, dry summers
- Courtyards and iwans: an inner garden that stays cool in the shade.
- Thick stone walls and flat roofs, where people sleep on summer nights.
- The stonework of Mardin and Urfa; use the local stone.
04 · Regional and historic styles
The wisdom of the past, with today's comfort.
The Ottoman-Turkish house
A stone ground floor and timber-framed upper floor, a central hall with rooms, bays and oriels, deep eaves and a gallery. Safranbolu, Beypazarı, Kula, Birgi.
Today: The hall becomes an open-plan living space and the gallery a glazed or open veranda; today's timber frame and insulation replace the old infill.
Black Sea timber house and granary
Timber on a stone base, steep roofs and the raised granary on posts.
Today: Raised, ventilated timber units; the granary becomes a guest room or studio.
Stone houses of Mardin and Urfa
Courtyards, iwans, arches, thick stone walls and flat roofs.
Today: The courtyard plan is still the best way to stay cool; the roof terrace becomes outdoor living.
Aegean stone house
Local stone, small windows, pergolas and courtyards; Şirince, Ayvalık, Datça.
Today: A stone shell, wide glass only on the shaded side and a garden among the olives.
Bodrum cubic house
Whitewashed cubes, flat roofs and blue window frames.
Today: Cubic units linked by terraces, with sun control and shade first.
Cappadocian stone and cave house
Soft tuff stone, rock-cut rooms and arched entrances.
Today: Earth-sheltered rooms stay naturally cool, a real asset for boutique stays.
Central Anatolian adobe house
Adobe walls, earth roofs, with courtyard and barn together.
Today: Adobe and rammed earth return, with modern insulation and deep eaves.
05 · Trends and our recommended models
How homes are built today, and what we recommend.
- 01
Biophilic design
Natural materials, daylight and plants indoors, with warm textures replacing stark minimalism.
- 02
Indoor and outdoor as one
Outdoor space is now a primary living space: terraces, courtyards and porches count as rooms.
- 03
Flexible, multigenerational plans
Rooms that divide, and a second small house in the garden for guests, elderly parents or work.
- 04
Climate-resilient building
Heatwaves, floods, wind and outages are designed for from the start; resilience is now a baseline.
- 05
Low-carbon materials
Timber, recycled metals and low-carbon concrete alternatives.
- 06
Efficiency as standard
A good envelope and efficient systems are now expected, not marketed.
Building models we recommend
Two-storey house with a gallery
Mild regions: stone below, timber above, a gallery at the front and a garden behind.
Single-storey courtyard house
Hot dry regions: rooms around a shaded, cool courtyard.
Compact passive house
Cold regions: a compact form, strong insulation, south-facing glass and a winter garden.
Stepped hillside house
Sloping land: stepped units, each level with its own terrace.
Tiny house with an outdoor kitchen
A small building with a big outdoor life: porch, hearth and kitchen garden.
Farm courtyard
House, barn and workshop around one yard, self-sufficient with solar and rainwater.
06 · Gardens, galleries and courtyards
A home begins in its garden, not at its door.
- The gallery (hayat)
- The Turkish house's half-open hall: sunny in winter, shaded in summer. Today, a glazed gallery or a deep veranda.
- The courtyard
- A garden drawn into the house: out of the wind, private and safe for children.
- Porches and arcades
- Shade and shelter at the entrance, a room between the house and the garden.
- Garden rooms
- Pergola, hearth, kitchen garden and fruit trees: the garden is designed as a set of rooms.
07 · Restoration
Readying an old building for a new life.
Stone, timber and adobe buildings last for centuries with the right materials and craftspeople. We document first, then repair, adding today's comforts without harming the original fabric.
- 01
Survey
The building is measured, drawn and photographed as it stands, with a map of materials and damage.
- 02
Researching its original form
Old photos, documents and traces reveal the building's original form.
- 03
Restoration design
What to keep, repair or renew; today's comforts (heating, plumbing, wiring) added without harming the original fabric.
- 04
Conservation board approval
For listed buildings or those in protected areas, the design needs board approval.
- 05
Works
Compatible materials and craftspeople: lime mortar, timber and stone work, with discreet, reversible strengthening.
Tell us about your site and what you have in mind.
The site's location, a few photos and the building you shaped above are enough. We'll plan the site reading together.