Inan Gokcek and Hattusa – A’Design Winner
Many congratulations to Inan Gokcek who has been awarded The A’Design Award for his unique concept to tell the story of an ancient civilisation in Clayworks Clay Plasters, in the restaurant Hattusa.
Gocek wanted to reflect their language and symbolism, objects and architecture, along with Anatolian hand crafts, in the interior in a contemporary way. He used cutting edge CNC technology to create modern, intricate panels and shelves and he travelled both near and far, sourcing a wide array of handmade and authentic fittings both in Kent and in Turkey.
However, the biggest challenge the designer faced was how to sculpture carved walls.
…how can you create an effect which was made 4000 years ago? Carving on rocks (cuneiform) was almost the only way to communicate in Hittite times and as they left amazing script and symbols on the rocks in Hattusa, which we wanted to reflect on the walls. We first tried to carve on basic plaster which didn’t give us the right firmness to do that. I also thought about a CNC cutting/carving method but concluded that it would look too fabricated and therefore the end result would be very artificial. Then we discovered raw clay plasters which differ from many other plasters because they do not contain any lime, gypsum or synthetics. Unlike lime-based plasters for example, pure earthen plasters do not go through a chemical reaction as they naturally air dry. Consequently, they not only retain their intriguing tonal patina, but their extraordinary textures, sculptures and sharp definitions. We first worked on a sample board with Clayworks Ltd and the very satisfactory result led us to apply it to all walls which were about 40 sqm.
Gocek also paid tribute to the world class artisan plasterer Guy Valentine, who carved the war scenes on walls, saying … he is a great talent who made this possible.
The space allows guests to explore the deep connections between craft, design, architecture and history of Anatolia with its unique wall carvings and objects brought in from the region.
Photos: Chris Snook.
