Amongst the spatial projects which aim to research and sustain the cultural heritage of Kaleburnu and its surrounding, first one is re-using the British Period primary school building into a local archaeological museum, by making an extension; and second one is renovation of old primary school building which is already used as an excavation house. The museum is designed to exhibit the artefacts which are extracted from Kaleburnu Kral Tepesi Excavation; and to house various related functions as excavation offices, storage, laboratories, café, souvenir shop and accommodation.

The excavations have brought many ceramic cups and living spaces especially from Late Bronze Period into light; reaching evidences on the existence of a societal and political organisation centre, a type of kingdom in the region. Besides, findings were not only form Late Bronze Period but also from Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods. The Kral Tepesi excavations, with this rich content, are the focus of both Cypriots and scientists and students from different countries of the world, in addition to providing a meeting point.

Collaboration between DAKMAR (Research Centre on Eastern Mediterranean Cultural Heritage) and EMU-DIA (Eastern Mediterranean University - Department of Interior Architecture

Within the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özlem Olgaç Türker who is both a full-time instructor in EMU-DIA and administrative council member of DAKMAR, four design studios in EMU Department of Interior Architecture, have given this local archaeological museum complex subject, as their main project subject. Two of these studios were held by Dr. Türker as a vertical studio; whereas the other studios were handled by Assist. Prof. Dr. Münevver Özgür Özersay, Architect Belgin Sakallı together, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Hacer Başarır. The functional programs, which were required from student projects, were developed by course instructors, together with the director of DAKMAR, Assist. Prof. Dr. Bülent Kızılduman.

The Content of Museum Complex Project

• Renovation Project of old primary school building which is already used as an excavation house;
• Re-using the British Period primary school building into a local archaeological museum, to exhibit the findings from Kral Tepesi excavation as part of the World heritage within a contemporary museum to include the museum education of children, teenagers and adults to be handled together with the local people.
• By making an extension; enclosing storage for preserving the artefacts from Kral Tepesi excavation in appropriate climatic conditions for advanced analysis in excavation offices for drawing and restoration; laboratory for immediate interventions and scientific studies on artefacts, meeting spaces; cafeteria for both tourists and excavation team, souvenir shop for selling imitations and hand-crafts.
• Landscape Project of the museum complex site.

The Importance of the Project

• To explain the excavation site and its importance to guests;
• To increase job opportunities by the museum, offices, storage and excavation house;
• To provide indirect economical contribution to the environment by serving alternative tourism;
• To provide contemporary living conditions for the international excavation team besides serving to alternative tourism for Dipkarpaz Municipality
• To contribute to the economic development of the region through cultural heritage tourism

Financial Contribution

• Germany Thysenn Foundation
• TRNC Ministry of Education – B type project
• TR Embassy Financial Aid

Actors in Vision Development

• EMU DAKMAR
• Dipkarpaz Municipality
• Kaleburnu Village Mukhtar

Project Development Process

Within the collaboration of EMU-DAKMAR and EMU-DIA:

• Instructors and research assistants from TASAR and EMU-DIA have prepared measured drawings. (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özlem Olgaç Türker, Assist. Prof. Dr. Münevver Özgür Özersay, Dr. Hacer Başarır, Instructor Belgin Sakallı, Res. Assist. Derviş Taşkıranlar, Res. Assist. Sobhan Hashımzade, Res. Assist. Pooya Lotfabadı, Res. Assist. Pınar Sabancı, Res. Assist. Gözde Pırlanta)
• INAR 391 and ITAS 301 – Interior Design Project III students from Department of Interior Architecture have designed renovation project of excavation of house
• INAR 392 and ITAS 302 – Interior Design Project IV students from Department of Interior Architecture have designed the adaptive reuse project of school building with an additional building as an archaeological museum complex
• Final juries were handled by contribution of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Kızılduman.
• At the end of semester, studio instructors and DAKMAR administrative board members have made a selection amongst the student projects.
• The design ideas with the potential of being implemented, have been developed by Dr. Özlem Olgaç Türker and Assist. Prof. Dr. Münevver Özgür Özersay by the contribution of Res. Assist. Arezoo Khani;
• The 3D modelling was prepared by voluntary students as well as the students who have designed the selected projects(Tala Moghaddam, Selin Özer, Fevzi Çetinkaya);
• Bill of quantities is prepared by Dr. Özlem Olgaç Türker with the contribution of Arezoo Khani;
• Both projects are submitted to Academic affairs for applying to financial support from T.R. Financial Aid.