A dark, abstract interior with a windowsill emitting bright light, surrounded by numerous bokeh light effects; architecture by MOXON Architects.

Disaster Prevention and Education Centre

Istanbul, Turkey

2011

Clients ThyssenKrupp, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

Buildings · Culture & Leisure

A campus of architecturally distinct training rooms is embedded in an abstract, synthetic landscape, each tailored to the specific disaster scenario it addresses. The rooms are connected by a looping system of ramped travelators that pierce through the landscape, linking training areas with the entrance, administration, and exhibition spaces. Each room’s form reflects its function - for instance, the earthquake training room appears as a tilted, sunken box, helping users navigate the site through visual architectural cues.

A top-down architectural site plan with irregularly shaped buildings, green spaces, and parking areas, architecture by MOXON Architects.

A site plan showing a modern, angular building complex with landscaped areas, parking, and pathways, architecture by MOXON Architects.

Though the building footprint is limited to 9,000 sqm, the abstracted landscape - which acts as both ground and roof - covers the site and is accessible as a public park. Public access can be separate from building users, allowing educational and recreational uses to coexist. This transforms the project into a civic space for Istanbul, beyond its role as a disaster training center.

The travelators, cutting through the terrain, contrast with the park’s natural contours, suggesting an alternative organizational logic - one of disruption, mirroring the disasters being studied.

A wavy architectural landscape with green roofs and various structures, designed by MOXON Architects, blending into the natural terrain.

Modern architectural design of an abstract building complex with angular shapes, elevated structures, and surrounding green landscape, architecture by MOXON Architects.

Architectural plans and models showcasing a landscape design with building structures, indoor and outdoor programs, and site layouts by MOXON Architects.

Four architectural models with green landscapes and white structures, showcasing modern design, by MOXON Architects, on black bases.

While training spaces sit at or above the level of the landscape, larger programmatic and administrative functions are located below. These areas rely on the topography itself for spatial organization, minimizing partitions and reinforcing transparency between work and exhibition spaces. This openness supports a dual identity: a site for professional research and public education, not just a museum.