HEM: A New Interpretation of Spatial Perception in the Post-Pandemic Era
Inspired by the blurring boundaries between inside–outside, private–public, and defined–undefined spaces in the post-pandemic world, HEM emerges as an innovative structure that reinterprets the idea of “in-betweenness” in architecture — both as a physical condition and a social experience. Exhibited at the Antalya Battery Factory, the project creates a fluid transition between states of passage, rest, social interaction, and shelter, turning the user into an active producer of space.

The Architecture of In-Between
HEM is neither entirely a passage nor simply a seating unit; neither fully closed nor completely open. This intentional ambiguity defines the character and identity of the structure.

Built with custom-cut, semi-transparent, reflective chrome mesh panels, the structure reveals the outside from within, while mirroring its surroundings from the exterior — making the space simultaneously visible and invisible. This duality strengthens the project’s core notion of “being in-between.”

The modules glide on a custom wheel-rail system, allowing the structure to shift form through user interaction. At one moment it becomes a corridor, the next a seating surface; sometimes an open frame, sometimes an enclosed volume. HEM transforms into a space that is not merely observed but lived, shaped, and experienced collectively.

A Transformation From Passage to Space
By rethinking the defining boundaries of architecture, HEM invites users to inhabit the in-between. What begins as a simple surface evolves into multiple spatial scenarios shaped by user engagement:

Passage – A threshold between two spaces.
Rest – Folding surfaces that create seating elements.
Social Interaction – Opening panels that encourage dialogue.
Enclosure – All surfaces closing to form a temporary volume.
Each configuration generates a new spatial narrative.

Technical Structure & Materiality
The main structural system consists of custom-cut chrome mesh panels. Chrome was chosen not only for its durability but also for the reflective quality that adds a visual layer to the space.

The 2.4 x 2.4 x 2.4 m modular design opens completely on five sides, maximizing transparency and interior–exterior fluidity. A specially developed rail mechanism enables the modules to glide, making various spatial configurations possible.

Culture, Space & Possibility
Taking inspiration from Cengiz Bektaş’s words

“Culture is the effort to enable one’s environment; culture is to make life possible.”

HEM is conceived as an architectural proposal that enhances and enables its context.

The structure exists as
both a passage and a pause,
both a social space and a void,
both a frame and a room.
It is all of these at once.
HEM.