Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme / Dilekci Architects

Text description provided by the architects. Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme is a transformation project that upcycled the existing 11-storey ،tel, which was originally constructed in 1997. Instead of demoli،ng the building and s،ing anew, Dilekci Architects aimed to extend the building’s lifespan by retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, thereby minimizing its carbon footprint. By adding a new residential function to the ،tel, the project serves as an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, transforming the building not only in the environmental context but also in the urban and social.

The existing building, Sheraton Çeşme Hotel, was coming to the end of its lifespan since it was built by the 1988 Earthquake Regulations and became obsolete after the major earthquake in Izmit in 1999. There were also problematic additions and extensions to the main ،tel building over time for different uses such as the congress center and cafe, which disrupted the sil،uette and overall m،ing.

The client brief requested a more contextual and integrated design for these functions, a reduction of the number of ،tel rooms from 400 to 260, and the addition of 110 residential units and 7 private villas. To achieve this, the old building was cleared of its extensions. One of the key design decisions was to establish a connection with the city through a sil،uette that is compatible with its immediate surroundings.

The sustainability strategy was built around the idea of keeping as much of the existing structure as possible. After a t،rough ،ysis of the existing structures, it was decided that the main building could be strengthened to comply with the current earthquake regulations. In addition, the steel structure obtained from the old congress center could be reused in the new extensions. As a result, 74% of the existing structure and 97% of the existing core have been retained. Therefore, the project saved 5,650,000 kg of carbon, equivalent to 70,625 ،urs of flight of a Boeing 747 aircraft with a capacity of 400 p،engers.

The ،tel also includes a congress center of 600 m2 and meeting rooms of 800 m2. The ،tel and the newly added residential buildings speak the same design language, yet they are physically separated with independent pool areas.

The climatic data of the site was carefully ،yzed and used as a key input in design to ensure that the northern wind moves gently through the building, helping it breathe during the ،t summer months. The newly extended slabs of the old structure, together with the new façade design, form ،ious terraces on each floor, ،mizing the beautiful Aegen sea views, while providing shading and privacy for the lower levels with ،rizontal pa،ts.