Model Workshop: The Corners of My Home

Workshop Theme: In Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space, the concept of the “lived corner” is described as a refuge that provides stillness—a sanctuary where children, in their journey toward becoming their own selves, react to the corners of their existence. A child discovers this when they step out of their home. Bachelard conveys narratives of shelter, contemplation, freedom, and self-identity through spatial metaphors such as corners and houses. Inspired by Bachelard’s work, this workshop will introduce children to concepts like home and corners through hands-on activities. By assembling multiple house models, the workshop will also touch upon ideas of neighborhood and communal living.

Workshop Objective: To enhance children’s creative thinking about “home,” the first physical space they encounter. Through learning the geometry of a house, they will develop spatial awareness of their surroundings and improve their motor skills.

Age Group: 6-9 years
Fee: 350 TL

Bilge Merve Çakmakçı
After graduating from Trakya University’s Department of Architecture, Bilge Merve Çakmakçı completed her master’s degree in Architectural Design at Yıldız Technical University. During her graduate studies, she gained professional experience in design and implementation within the private sector. While continuing her professional career, she has taught architectural and interior design studio courses at Yıldız Technical University, Galata University, and Istanbul Arel University.

Currently based in Bursa, she runs her own architecture studio, Kolektif Mimarlık Atölyesi, while also teaching architectural design at Uludağ University. She is pursuing a PhD in “Children and Architecture” at Yıldız Technical University and is furthering her studies in Child Development at Istanbul University. In addition, she continues to engage in visual arts, dance, and yoga education.

Atölye +, founded by architect and yoga instructor Bilge Merve Çakmakçı, is an initiative that develops and implements workshops for children in the fields of architecture, art, and yoga. Atölye + collaborates with experts in their respective fields to design workshops based on conceptual frameworks. Inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its principle of child participation, Atölye + aims to create spaces where children can experience diverse ideas and processes. By integrating these experiences into academic research, the initiative seeks to contribute to the field of pedagogy while fostering a society of thoughtful, imaginative, productive, and socially engaged children.