The Museum Hotel Antakya is located near St. Pierre Church, one of the important pilgrimage destinations of the Christian world, in the city center of Antakya - formerly known as Antioch - which was the fourth largest city in the world during the Roman Empire, according to the ancient resources. The process that began with the ambition of an investor – who is also the landowner to build a hotel, had to be discontinued since various artifacts were unearthed across the area during the drilling excavations initiated at the end of 2009 in accordance with the project prepared by another architectural group. Thereupon, the Cultural and Natural Heritage Conservation Board was involved in the process and requested a scientific excavation. So, the current hotel project suddenly turned into an impossible plan to construct.

“The relation of EAA with this project starts upon the advice and invitation of various academicians within the scientific committee at this stage. The fact that the Museum Hotel Antakya should positively affect the geography in which it is located, by emerging as an authentic and one-off structure using the resources and potentials of the context it is involved, was the primary element that was observed throughout the project designing process.”- EAA

Upon the completion of the excavations that took around a year and were carried out by hand,, approximately 30,000 artifacts from 13 different civilizations were unearthed from five layers over an area of 17.000m² and documented accordingly. In order to protect the world heritage emerging here and make it available for public use; the Museum Hotel Antakya was created in a design process observing the idea that Museum Hotel Antakya should positively affect the geography in which it is located, by emerging as an authentic and one-off structure using the resources and potentials of the context it is involved.

“The proposal to build a public museum side by side with a hotel was a daring challenge. Indeed, it would perhaps be wise to leave the site before even taking on this enterprise. However, we accepted this challenge because of the alluring advantages offered by this challenging process. Hotel typology generally suggests a base on which the social areas are located on the ground level and a monolithic, externally closed mass on which the rooms are piled up on top of each other. The life it offers is inevitably artificial and fictional. It is a place of accommodation that promises warmth and convenience but fails to compete with a home, thus strives to close this gap with an emphasis on ‘comfort’ or opportunity for 'extraordinary experience'. On the other hand, the museum had to protect the archaeological artefacts from being an inexpensive display material or an object of extravagant fantasy and ultimately to provide a certain level of permeability for public use in any case." - EAA

We can think that the structure was built to consist of four layers; The first one is an open-air museum closest to the artefacts, the second one is a restaurant that offers the experience of strolling over a landscape comprising the lobby and archaeological findings, the third one is a permeable open-air circulation area where the prefabricated hotel rooms and mosaics can be observed, and the fourth one involves the shared spaces of the hotel, such as the ballroom, spa, meeting rooms, and the courtyards filled with trees.

“This collision had consequences that were reflected on both the architectural expression and the construction process. From this point of view, the problem could be described as follows. The tension between the two main elements of the program, which were difficult to coalesce, had to be carefully scrutinized and the consequences theereof had to be faced with courage. We have to admit that the tension that made the hotel look a lot different than a 'typical' hotel, which in turn, caused the museum to stand out amongst ordinary museums was the key element that gave the project its colour." - EAA

Another point as important as the design criteria was the protection and preservation of both hotel and museum blocks. ATEKSIS specialist engineers and technical team carried out the designing, testing and commissioning processes of Video Surveillance System, Fire Detection and Warning, Public Address and Speaker Systems, Professional Audio and Video Systems within this structure where the archaeological texture is combined with aesthetics and technology.

Professional Audio & Video Systems;

Unlike the classic hotel design, ball and meeting rooms, SPA areas and swimming pools are located on the terrace of the hotel. The ballroom can be divided into three sections and it has a total capacity of 1500 people whereas the conference hall can be divided into two sections and it has a capacity of 200 people. The meeting rooms Myth, Time and History have a capacity of 35, 20 and 64 people, respectively. Bosch Premium Series ceiling speakers and digital amplifier systems, Infocus and Optoma projectors, motorized projector, Shure wireless microphone systems and Extron automation and video transmission systems were used in all these halls. In addition, motorized and mobile truss bridge systems were installed in the ballroom to be used for hanging the sound and light systems on the ceiling.

The building has 6 standard therapy rooms, VIP therapy room, Turkish bath, sauna, fitness areas, indoor and outdoor swimming pool in SPA&Fitness area which was also equipped with Bosch Premium Series ceiling speakers and digital amplifier systems, Extron automation and local music access panels. Touch wall panels are fitted with of 9-channel local and central music broadcast channel selection, volume control and venue lighting control functions.

Bosch Premium Series ceiling speakers and digital amplifier systems, Extron automation systems and local music access panels are preferred for the night club, restaurant, and open space and Nas residential areas on the terrace floor. Touch wall panels are fitted with of 9-channel local and central music broadcast channel selection, volume control and venue lighting control functions.

Infocus projection devices and motorized curtain systems are installed in two meeting rooms in Nas residential area. Touch wall panels at tthese location were wired to allow controlling the audio visual systems as well as lighting systems.

On the lounge floor, there is the reception, Lobby Lounge and Ayan Meyan restaurant. These places were also equipped with Bosch Premium Series ceiling speakers and digital amplifier systems, Extron automation systems and local music access panels. Touch wall panels fitted in the areas were wired to allow 9-channel local and central music broadcast channel selection, volume control and venue lighting control functions.

In the Executive Lounge, there is an Epson projector and a portable projection screen. Touch wall panel is wired to make it possible to control the audio visual systems as well as lighting systems.

In addition, there are portable sound systems for use throughout the building. These systems include DAS active monitor speakers, DAS active Linearray speaker systems, Soundcraft mixers, Shure wireless microphone systems.

Video Surveillance System;

High-level surveillance is aimed for the building security and therefore the museum and hotel areas are monitored and recorded 24/7 from completely independent points, with cameras selected in accordance with on-site conditions.

The security of both the artifacts and visitors is ensured with fixed cameras and high-resolution 360° panoramic cameras allowing colour video recording, especially under low light conditions inside the museum.

Fixed cameras capable of intelligent video analysis (IVA) were preferred for surveillance around the hotel and museum and the operator is alerted in case of detection of defined conditions and scenarios. In addition to fixed cameras, MIC series mobile cameras featuring IP68 and IK10 make it possible to obtain high-quality images in the harshest environmental conditions. The anti-fog feature of the camera automatically is activated in foggy or other low contrast environments, allowing the operator to capture and interpret the image in the most accurate and proper way. Thanks to its automatic image stabilization feature, it can provide the operator with the clearest image even in vibrating conditions. Moreover, any moving object in vision are detected and automatically tracked by camera, and the operator can select and track any object, thanks to intelligent image tracking feature. Additionally, it is also possible to start tracking automatically if a predefined IVA event occurs.

Fire Detection and Warning System;

One of the most critical systems for both phases of the building divided as a hotel and museum was undoubtedly the fire detection and warning system. The project designs are drawn up considering these requirements, and the system was designed in compliance with the regulations and standards, from the most extreme site components to the central equipment. The Museum and Hotel is devised as two separate businesses and Bosch 5000 series modular fire panels are used. These flexible and modular panels are suitable for communication with each other and can be expanded if required. There are approximately 1450 detection points in the hotel area and around 50 detection points in the Museum area. Proper Avenar detectors, suitable for the properties and features of the venue were selected aiming at high-level protection in both locations. In the hotel rooms, buzzer-based detectors were used to warn the guests primarily in case of any alarm. Both security and comfort is secured with light warning equipment and bedside vibration units in the rooms designed for use by guests who might have special requirements so that they can be warned in case of an emergency.

Public Address and Voice Alarm System;

The system was designed using Praesideo from the Bosch speaker product family. Approximately 1300 speakers of various types and power were used in the building that naturally brought numerous challenges for assembly and manufacturing. General and emergency announcements can be managed individually thanks to the system infrastructure that allows announcements to be made in the rooms, hallways and general spaces either partly or wholly. With the numerical keypad on the call station, the operator can send instant message or public announce in specific parts of the building whereas the system continues to function as usual in other parts of the building.

The systems were ensured to communicate with each other and function in integration against any unforeseen situation. If an alarm requiring evacuation is triggered by the detection points, the scenario will be activated and the mechanical equipment managed through the fire detection system will turn on or off, the Emergency Announcement System will be triggered, the evacuation announcement will be transmitted to the relevant sections and the local cameras will be active on the monitoring screens. With the graphic screen monitoring software, the alarm conditions of the entire building can be easily monitored on the maps, and thus the response times of the security and operation teams can be minimized.

This project had extraordinary aspect to offer for everyone. We consider it priceless to be involved in this special project, in which we undertake the 'technology' aspect that enables the unique experience created by Archeology and Architecture to be safe and livable and which also allows us to contributeto the preservation of a world heritage.

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