Saraçoğlu Renovation Concept Project

The Saraçoğlu Renovation Project reimagines a unique segment of Ankara’s Republican era fabric—Saraçoğlu Mahallesi—by preserving its architectural integrity, cultural memory, and natural landscape. Located at the heart of Çankaya’s Kızılay neighborhood, this area once referred to as “Devlet Mahallesi” due to its association with high ranking civil servants and military officers represents the first large scale state-sponsored housing development in the capital.

Designed in 1944 by German architect Paul Bonatz and inaugurated in 1946 with 434 housing units, the neighborhood embodies the principles of the Garden City model and the Second National Architecture Movement. The two-to-four-story buildings, with façades adorned by deep eaves, overhangs, and lattice balconies, reflect a modern reinterpretation of Turkish domestic architecture.

Heritage Preservation and Gentle Intervention

The project preserves all 44 registered buildings within the district. No structural modifications were applied; instead, façades were carefully restored and interiors reprogrammed with new, complementary functions. This approach aims to revive the area’s cultural and urban vitality without compromising its authenticity.

Green Urban Core in the Capital

Surrounded by major public landmarks like Anıtkabir, the Grand National Assembly, and Kızılay Square, Saraçoğlu offers a rare inner-city environment where architecture and nature coexist. Towering plane and chestnut trees, quiet gardens, and shaded pedestrian paths define the site’s unique microclimate and sensory identity. Existing green corridors and new recreational areas strengthen social interaction and ecological continuity.

Layered Uses and Social Activation

While maintaining the calm of garden oriented housing, the project integrates retail, hospitality, office, and cultural functions. Commercial programs are concentrated on ground levels, particularly along the lake facing side with pergolas and along active street fronts. These are accompanied by carefully designed open spaces that encourage community engagement.

Spatial Continuity and Public Realm

Public recreation areas extend between buildings and private gardens, enabling visual openness and informal social interaction. The revitalized layout fosters a renewed sense of neighborhood belonging, reinforcing both collective memory and everyday use.

The Saraçoğlu Project reclaims a modern heritage in Ankara not by replacing it, but by reinterpreting its values for the future offering the city a new, green, and inclusive civic heart.