platform_c

direct link to:  www.platformc.org >>

Overview
The second platform_c in September 2002 was a meeting of the leading heads of the platform_c organization board. The platform_c 2002 functioned mainly as a "think tank" of specialists extending their network between local, overregional and international contacts.

During one week of excursions to different architectural and restoration sites, different themes had been discussed and various project ideas had been developed. A major aim of platform_c is to focus on pilotprojects which can be realized in the nearer future. Main focus was also layed on concerning further developments and the structure of platform_c in the future.

As an NPO without any organinzational and financial status it is proposed by the leaders to found an organization in form of an association (dernek) to be able to funtion on a more professional base in the future and raise needed money for the different pilotprojects. As a major result of the platform_c 2002 workshop the group presented a number of concrete pilotproject scetches which are listed up below:

Research and Documentation/ Documentation Center
The documentation of Cappadocia is one of the major issues of the 'Cappadocia Academy for Art & Culture'. The experienced ethnologist and ex-museum curator Andus Emge is establishing a database and information-network on the region. Next to collecting pieces of 'left overs' and local ethnographica there are multimedia methods of recording traditional life and recent changes.

Website: www.fairychimney.org
This (work-in-progress) internet-website project was planned by Andus Emge to provide interested visitors with general scientic information on Cappadocia as well as showing workshop- and running project results of the 'Cappadocia Academy'.

Architecture and Building Technology
A major project focused on by Titus Spree is concentrating on the future of a "Cappadocia Building Academy" which should start working in the year 2004. From that year on first plans should be realized towards a one-to-one model of a future building alternative in Cappadocia. Titus Spree had done various projects in the region as well as finishing his diploma thesis with a one-to-one model for a new cave design in the Cappadocia village Cavusin.

Landscape as Identity
The Ungarian architect Samu Szemery contributed the platform_c 2002 meeting with a proposal towards a 'landscape as identity' study with the major task of research on traditional and present concepts and relations to space and landscape to find new basis for urban, architectural and corporate development.

Design and Regional Management Local Manufacturing cooperative
Next to others a design and regional management projectstudy had been developed by the Istanbul Colleages Meltem and Ceren. Their aim is to design and plan a local manufactoring cooperative in Göreme where local goods are improved to become produced, packed and distributed to the (tourism) market. Rethinking Local Arts and Crafts Design Competition This project coordinated by Meltem Maralcan and Ceren Bagatar will focus on gathering contemporary design ideas from young designers in order to give local production new perspectives.

Sustainable Tourism Cultural Tourism Resource Center
The task of this project is a creation of an information database for cultural tourism which will be crosslinked with the "fairychimney" website project prepared by Andus Emge and co. It is also planned to provide visitors with information on locally produced arts, crafts and other goods. Publication series several themes concerning the regional culture and local products should be focused on in nice presented publication forms. Traditional "Agro Turizm" cooperative One of the themes disussed during platform_c 2002 was a development of concepts for agricultural tourism focused on small family buisiness that still engage in traditional farming and gardening. Local families will invite foreigners to participate in their daily life and join their specific work concerning different seasons. Cappadocia Hiking Resources This task will focus on a creation of a guiding system including maps and hiking path indicators which should also focus on a cooperation together with the forest ministery and the Göreme national park direction as well as with local individual guides.

Education "Walking Academy"
This "Walking Academy" will provide an opportunity for children and young people to discover their natural and cultural environment in a different way. This idea of learning while walking results from older concepts developed by the German Artists Kurt Link and Almut Wegner who lived and worked together in Uchisar since many years.

Local Design workshop
This project started in 2001 with a workshop serie supported by 'Projectguggenheim' where a group of young children from Cappadocia leaned to 'see', copy and reinterprete local design forms which are typical to the region. First results had been presented to the local authorities as well as to the local agenda 21. The project is planned as a long term workshop serie with the aim to create curricula for a further independend marketing strategy. It is supervized and directed by Andus Emge.

Computer workshop for children and other interested inhabitants
This project will concentrate on computer and internet education seminars, which are planned particularly concerning the needs of the local population. It will try to provide local people with information how to create their own websites for small cooperatives as well as learning the basic use of computers and the internet.

Multi Media Cappadocia CD-ROM
This idea became one of the first realized projects after first ideas and discussions concerning a CD production during first platform_c 2000. The project directed by Jürgen Süss tries to realize a combination of well funded scientific historic and ethnograhic information next to modern animation techniques like panorama-pictures, interactive plans, 3-D modelling as well as film documents and lots of pictures.

Virtual Cappadocia
During the second platform_c meeting serious options where discussed concerning the virtual reality in creating a modern image and virtual identity of Cappadocia. One concrete idea was focusing on a creation of a computer game based on the landscape and space systems as well as narratives and history of the regional Cappadocian culture which might cooexist in different underground levels. The group decided to follow up this subject, search for more detailed information as well as to get into contact with relevant persons and branches, where computer games are developed and produced. The platform_c network should be participated with contributions concerning the storyboard, screenplay as well as to different professional scetches and regional informations.

Outlook
As an NPO without any financial or organizational background the platform_c 2002 organizational board came to the solution that it should be one of the main concrete steps in the future towards an organizational form (association) where platform_c activities can be more easily prepared in the future.

As an organization with financial and juristic status it is hoped to be able to receive more sponsorsip and support. Fiancial support is needed to focus on several pilotprojects as well as to continue keeping up the platform_c network and organizing the next planned platform_c in 2004. It is planned to continue with different pilotprojects which are supervized by different individuals and small working groups.

All projects are also regulary consulted by the platform_c board. An other main task is to intense the work within the local Cappadocian network so we can work on concrete useful and practical solutios which benefit the region.

As platform_c is mainly an unhierachical network of interested individuals, artists, architects and scientists, who are working somehow in or on Cappadocia, it will always be an open-source network, open to crosslink with new branches and other interested individuals. We welcome evry form of contribution.

AE

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organization board platform_c 2002:

Ceren Bagatar (designer, Istanbul)
Dr. Andus Emge (anthopologist, Göreme)
Meltem Maralcan (designer, Istanbul)
Ass. Prof. Titus Spree (architect & designer, Tokio/Okinawa Japan)
Dr. Jürgen Süss (historian and multi-media producer)
Samu Szemery (architect, Budapest Ungary)
Dr. Wilhelm Hummen (Chief Advisor/ International Relations, Ankara-Istanbul)

Special thanks particular to the following people who invited us during our platform_c meeting in September 2002 for showing us around and introducing us to their homes and projects.:

Jaques Avizou (architect, Uchisar)
S¸ha Ersöz (restorator and pansion owner, Esbelli Evi- Ğrg¸p)
Laura Prusoff (project initiator, Ortahisar)
Mükremin Tokmak (artist, Venessa Pansiyon - Avanos)
Almut Wegner (artist, Uchisar)
Cigdem Yilmaz (architect, Uchisar)

as well as the mayor of Göreme, Fevzi Günal and the head of the Turizm Kooperativi, Mustafa Durmaz and many other local people, planers, designers and friends, who joined our meetings and discussions during platform_c 2002.