Sapphire house is a weekend getaway/camp house designed with an athlete in mind. Burgazada is one of the four Princes' Islands located off the coast of Istanbul. A 45-minute ferry ride brings you to the beautiful and serene Island that is Burgazada. Burgazada is one of the less populated Islands in Istanbul and isn't a tourist destination like Buyukada.

 

The idea to make a house for an elite athlete came to mind when I first saw the quiet and calm nature of the Island and its easy access from Istanbul. Istanbul with all its beauty can sometimes be chaotic, distracting and stressful; for an athlete that is getting ready for an event, these can be damaging aspects through the training camp. Burgazada is a perfect place to design a getaway house where the athlete can get away from the cities overwhelming nature and focus on his/her training.

 

The name Sapphire comes from the facade of the house and how the house integrates with the topography. Because this is a getaway house the idea of preserving the topography and the nature around the house was of great significance. The building is almost hidden in the hill and yet overflowing and catching your eye with its facade. The facade was first created as a solution to the harsh light that affected the hill but it quickly became a significant aspect in the design of the building.

 

The glass box in the middle was created as a result of the tree that sat in the middle of the plot, this once again follows the motto of being one with nature and creates a beautiful lightray in the middle of the house. The house sits on the plot with an integrated gym , gardens and a wooden deck connecting the plot with the sea and allows for private boats to dock.