MAKSIMUM HOUSES

Building regulations in the Bosphorus area of Istanbul have generated a pattern of construction that has little to do with the site and is essentially without character. This 5,500-square-meter (59,200 square feet) housing complex was designed in 2001 and built in 2004. The principle behind the project was to respect every aspect of the existing building codes in order to see if it was possible to create interesting residences in spite of regulations.

The solution chosen was that of a small gated community, consisting of just three buildings, a feature that distinguishes it from its surroundings. Each building is different, though on all three structures folding, sliding panels are used to shield residents from the sun and noise of a nearby road.

Taking advantage of rules that allow temporary buildings to disregard the esthetic regulations imposed on more permanent structures, the architects created a sales office for the complex that is still in use as a social gathering place for residents.