Jaqalan Villa

Jaqalan Villa

Jaqalan Villa is an award-winning contemporary residential architecture project comprising two architecturally unified villas situated in the verdant landscape of Zekeriyakoy, Istanbul, Turkey, designed by Yaser and Yasin Rashid Shomali of Shomali Design Studio, with construction undertaken by Deniz Otesi Insaat, representing a sophisticated synthesis of sustainable design principles, contextual sensitivity, and modern aesthetic innovation that redefines luxury residential living through its distinctive formal language and environmental responsiveness. The name Jaqalan, translating to friends in Turkish, reflects the project's conceptual foundation of fostering social interaction and communal living within a naturalistic setting, a philosophy manifested through the architectural composition of two distinct yet harmoniously related structures: a larger 1,000 square meter villa featuring five bedrooms and a more intimate 400 square meter villa with three bedrooms, both reaching approximately seven meters in height and characterized by their most striking architectural feature, dramatically sloped roofs that descend to ground level, creating a bold visual identity while serving multiple functional purposes including optimal rainwater drainage in response to the region's heavy precipitation patterns and providing structural support for integrated solar panel systems that contribute to the project's energy efficiency objectives. The design emerged from extensive research into sustainable architectural practices and careful analysis of the site's topographical characteristics, with the sloped lot configuration strategically leveraged to ensure unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape and maximize natural light penetration throughout the interior spaces, while the verdant hills and lush greenery of Zekeriyakoy provided primary inspiration for the design approach that emphasizes harmony between built form and natural environment. Construction methodology employed reinforced concrete and steel for structural integrity, supplemented by advanced modular construction techniques that enhanced efficiency and minimized material waste during the building process, reflecting a comprehensive commitment to environmental responsibility that extends beyond operational energy consumption to encompass the entire lifecycle of the structures. The architectural vocabulary of Jaqalan Villa is distinguished by its extensive use of floor-to-ceiling glass facades that establish a seamless indoor-outdoor connection, dissolving traditional boundaries between interior living spaces and exterior terraces while framing carefully composed views of the natural surroundings and flooding interior volumes with natural daylight, thereby reducing dependence on artificial lighting and creating dynamic spatial experiences that vary with changing atmospheric conditions and seasonal transformations. The sloped roof configuration, beyond its practical functions, generates distinctive interior spatial qualities characterized by soaring ceiling heights that promote a sense of openness and volumetric generosity, while the dynamic angular geometries create visually compelling spaces that depart from conventional orthogonal residential planning. Expansive terraces and strategically positioned balconies extend the usable living area beyond the building envelope, providing outdoor spaces for social gatherings and contemplative engagement with the landscape, reinforcing the project's emphasis on fostering interpersonal connections and community-oriented living patterns. The design process, which commenced in April 2022 in Tehran, Iran, with construction beginning in summer 2023 and approaching completion subsequently, navigated significant challenges related to balancing innovative architectural expression with local regulatory constraints, as building codes imposed limitations on design flexibility and material selection that required extensive collaboration with local authorities to achieve compliance while maintaining the project's contemporary aesthetic vision and environmental performance objectives. The research methodology underlying the design incorporated qualitative approaches including comprehensive site analyses, interviews with potential residents, and lifestyle surveys that revealed strong preferences for open spatial configurations that facilitate social interaction and maintain strong connections to natural surroundings, insights that directly informed the architectural strategies employed throughout the project. The material palette emphasizes sustainable selections including concrete and metal components chosen for their durability, thermal performance characteristics, and reduced environmental impact, while the integration of solar panel technology represents a proactive approach to renewable energy generation that positions the villas as exemplars of contemporary sustainable residential design. The open floor plans characteristic of both villas encourage fluid movement and flexible use patterns, accommodating diverse lifestyle requirements and social configurations while maintaining spatial coherence and architectural clarity, with strategically positioned windows not only framing views but also enhancing natural ventilation patterns that reduce mechanical cooling requirements and improve indoor air quality. Jaqalan Villa's contribution to contemporary architectural discourse extends beyond its individual design merits to encompass its demonstration of how luxury residential architecture can successfully integrate environmental responsibility, contextual sensitivity, and formal innovation, establishing new standards for villa design in similar geographical and cultural contexts while addressing pressing concerns regarding sustainable development and climate-responsive building practices. The project's recognition with the Silver A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category in 2025 acknowledges its outstanding achievement in innovative use of space, structural integrity, aesthetic appeal, environmental impact, functional efficiency, material selection, technological integration, and numerous other evaluative criteria, positioning it among distinguished works that demonstrate excellence across multiple dimensions of architectural practice. The Silver A' Design Award, one of the world's most prestigious design competitions, recognizes top-tier designs that embody both aesthetic sophistication and functional innovation, celebrating works that reflect deep understanding, technical skill, and original creative thinking that advances industry standards and contributes meaningfully to improving everyday life through thoughtful design interventions. The award designation acknowledges Jaqalan Villa as a tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative work that illustrates outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity, representing a remarkably professional and profoundly innovative approach to residential architecture that benefits and advances the boundaries of contemporary design practice. Located within a luxury residential area, Jaqalan Villa leverages its natural landscape setting to create an integrated architectural experience that respects topographical conditions while asserting a distinctive contemporary identity, demonstrating how modern architectural language can engage productively with traditional concerns of shelter, comfort, and environmental harmony while introducing new spatial possibilities and experiential qualities that reflect evolving patterns of domestic life and changing expectations regarding the relationship between architecture and natural systems.

Sustainable Architecture, Contemporary Villa Design, Sloped Roof Architecture, Indoor-Outdoor Living Spaces, Energy-Efficient Residential Design, Turkish Modern Architecture

— Adam Dawson