Architectural Office > Arif Ozden Mimarlik

Botanic Garden Landscape Architectural Team

Supervisor > Esra Aksu

Landscape Architect > Elif Tekeli Bonelli

Rendering> Turker Tukenmez

Chief of the Implementation Team> Mehmet Solak

www.botanicgarden.com.tr

It is a challenge to create a green environment when there is no soil, especially if this project is taking place in a very hot environment with low water resources.

5 ODA (meaning ‘five rooms’) is a boutique hotel that indeed accommodates 5 rooms for guests who wants to spend some time in one of the most beautiful coasts of Turkey. It is located in Golturkbuku, Bodrum which is a very popular vacation destination not just for Turks but also foreign tourists. The hotel is positioned right on the seaside, like other chic hotels of Golturkbuku which often hosts famous people such as actors, football players and other VIPs.

As the building was once a private house then converted to a hotel, the project has been designed to use the space at its maximum. After the entire architectural plan to gain room for accommodation, the project was left with almost no soil to work on. At this point, Botanic Garden prepared several proposals, among which the interesting ‘container garden’ design had been selected.

The landscape architectural project of the hotel consists of three parts; the balcony, terrace and the entrance. Apart from the entrance, all the other parts have been designed by containers. The client and the architectural team were both very adamant about not using any industrial vases for the plants, therefore the containers have been crafted of IROKO wood. For the landscape architectural team it was very important to create an unique design to the spaces. In the terrace, several different sized wooden containers have been designed so as to create bewilderment, in order to hold the visitors to the spot. The terrace has only one low-key entrance which to the casual observer would hardly seem like a gate to the garden. The design idea of the terrace part was to create an unexpected cozy garden to hide and rest.

There were many design alternatives for the balcony. The balcony was the entrance of the three rooms upstairs, therefore it was important to give it a welcoming feeling as much as cheerful waiting spot for the guests.

The landscaping design of the entrance part of the project was quite plain. The idea was to show the building as much as possible, emphasizing it with architectural plants. Without creating a jungle atmosphere which is all too common in Bodrum, the team strived to attract the gaze of the curious looker to this small hotel.

The plants of the projects have all been chosen as endemic to the area. It was very important to use local plants, therefore only local nurseries had been contacted. Sea and wind tolerant species but at the same time mediterrenean plants have been chosen such as: Olea, Bougainvillea, Pelargonium, Nerium, Canna, Parkinsonia, Musa, Convolvulus…

Another surprising thing was that the application took only two days; very often landscape design projects take years to be completed. On the other hand, although it is nice to examine the phases of the process and the work in progress, there is nothing better than getting a fast result. From this point, 5 ODA Landscaping Design Project was a lot of fun.

Landscape Architect Elf Tekeli Bonelli

Istanbul, Turkey