Serra Bilgincan
Assemblage of Fragments was a three-day workshop I conducted with first-year architecture students at Kadir Has University.
The workshop began with a walk in nature, during which students collected local natural materials to use in intuitive model-making processes.
We explored themes such as vernacular architecture, the Primitive Hut theory, and Carlo Scarpa’s artisanal approach to structural detailing. Students were encouraged to investigate specific architectural elements, joinery techniques, and conceptual terms—both ancient and contemporary—based on the qualities and compositions of their initial models.
Before moving into the second round of model making, students engaged in personal research informed by their first-day explorations. This included looking into architectural precedents, construction logic, and conceptual frameworks relevant to their initial assemblies.
Building on this research, they developed new models with a more thoughtful and informed approach. A key challenge was to construct these models without the use of adhesives. Instead, they were tasked with inventing and experimenting with alternative joining methods, prompting creative explorations in assembly and structural expression.
