Inside; Mars [Architectural Thesis]

“Fairy Chimneys” in Cappadocia
Turkey
Cappadocia’s dramatic landscape is
constructed from the build-up and erosion of
layers of tuff and basalt lava from volcanic
eruptions from Erciyes, Melendiz and
Hasandag volcanoes across millions of years.
Tuff is a porous rock made of 95% ash, thus
making it more susceptible to erosion and
easier to carve. Once the softer tuff erodes
away, it leaves behind the harder layer of
basalt that acts as a protective cap, giving
rise to the form of the ‘Fairy Chimneys’
which have been ingeniously used by humans
for settlement
During the rule of the roman empire,
persecuted Christians had fled to Cappadocia
to take refuge during the 3rd century. Though
this cave dwelling system only expanded
then due to increased settlement while hiding
from the Roman troops, historic explanation
had found that these caves have been
inhabited as early as the first century AD.
The malleable materiality of the landscape
made it easy to carve complex tunnels for
hiding, as well as build networks of caves
that are used as living quarters and churches.
Generally, a living space is cut into the slope
of a cliff, forming a ‘courtyard’. Private
rooms and sub-spaces are then carved into
the 3 sides of the courtyard. Due to the
unique form of each rock face, the tunneling
and formation of sub spaces thus vary from
each other. Often these spaces are connected
to a larger network of underground caves
and tunnels, which connects living spaces
to other programmes such as chapels and
cathedrals.
Photo by Ingoval via Flickr, obtained
from World Heritage Academy 30