With its stone walls and authentic dome, Urla Design Library was originally an Ottoman primary school back in the 16th century. It was restored by Prof. Dr. Tevfik Balcioglu and came back to life as a library. Its warm atmosphere provides an environment for workshops, conferences, and meetings for all kinds of audiences, including children.
With extensive research and methodology, the concept of udl was created. Beyond being a design library, udl is a social, active, productive, and
living place where thoughts are constantly transferred. In other words, its environment values people and ideas and tries to keep them alive. Thus, the motto of “thoughts through arches” was created. The arches refer directly to the actual arches in the building’s architecture. Likewise, it metaphorically conveys the communication and learning process took years and will continue forever. Mentioned arches are the tools that are holding people together and keep them in touch, just like the way they stand side by side physically since the 1500s.
The curvature and round shapes in architecture evoke eternity. Thus, in design, the arches that continue along each other reinforce the idea of eternity. Moreover, for the motto using the commonly used phrase “through ages” as “thoughts through arches” it is aimed to create a pun.
