METU ArchLabs is a redesign of the existing ateliers and the computer center located in two separate buildings of Middle East Technical University (METU) Faculty of Architecture. As both buildings hold significant importance in the design history of the nation as well as the tradition of the university, the intervention is structured as a stripping-down- to-basics operation. The spaces are re-organized according to contemporary requirements via demountable and mobile systems designed specifically for use in the project.
The design aims to produce contemporary learning environments by emphasizing shared and convertible space. In this sense, the spaces are first stripped down to the essential elements, and then re-organized into function groups according to the requirements of the faculty. The design can be read as a educational facility adaptation of the contemporary flexible office spaces pioneered by large-scale technology campuses.