The actual windmill project was built in March 2009 when John Drake, vice president with GBA and Bill Salter, Senior Design Architect with GBA, went to Malawi Africa with two friends to build a windmill in the Village of Mgwayi.  The windmill was designed to be built out of locally found materials in a rural village to irrigate crops during the region’s punishing eight month dry season.

The idea for a sustainable windmill for the small farmer was conceived when John was in Malawi, Africa a year and a half ago, and noticed remote farming villages had hand-dug wells, with no means of pumping water.  During a drought Malawi does not produce enough food to support its population; 94% of farms rely on the natural three-month rainy season, which only allows one growing season per year.  Farmers, with Malawi’s temperate climate and the means to ‘pump’ water for crop irrigation, would have the opportunity to produce crops year round regardless of droughts.  Modern irrigation equipment is too expensive for villagers and impossible to maintain, since they do not have tools or training.  Most agriculture in Malawi is composed of individual subsistence farmers with small one acre farms. 

The design solution evolved over a year and a half of trial and error and is based upon the panemone windmill (500AD Persia) connected to a rope and washer pump.  This enables crop irrigation and only utilizes materials that are readily available in Malawi to the common farmer.  The windmill is made of a main wood post, bamboo, wire, grain sacks, and two stones for the main bearing; and the pump is made of rope, bottle caps, hand-cut rubber washers (out of used bicycle tubes), and PVC thin walled pipe.  The total cost for the windmill if all the parts are bought is $40 US dollars and it could irrigate a minimum of ¼ acre which yields $100-$125 US dollars at harvest, so within the first harvest the rural farmer will be able to make a profit.  Sustainable irrigation will stabilize the region of Southern Africa’s food supply which is a matter of Life and Death in Malawi.

As a natural crossing place of the river, Belfast has always been confined within the Lagan Valley and the hills on either side.  Today, the city still does not stray too far from the bottom of that valley and clever planning has created long view corridors for the visitor to appreciate the green hills over the roofs of the architecture, most of which is still under 7 storeys and created during Belfast’s growth in Georgian and Victorian times.

But, the most exciting surprise greeting my return to Belfast after 35 years was the Belfast Metro tee-shirt given to me and my family by the Architect, Arthur Acheson.  Yes, a Metro, an Underground, a Subway, under the streets of Belfast.  First thoughts were, “No way!  Belfast is too compact!  What about the sleech?  Is traffic really that bad?”

I forgot who I was talking to.  Arthur Acheson is one of those rare souls who sees every question as a way to create an answer; every problem as a way to stimulate a solution.  I swear, if Arthur had been around at other times in history, he would have been the one to invent electricity or perhaps the jet engine.  A latter day Ben Franklin, he is thinking, thinking, thinking all the time.  We went to school together so I knew enough to sit back and let Arthur answer my doubting questions.

Arthur Acheson’s plan to build a Metro system under Belfast could be the blueprint for all cities interested in preparing for the future.  To get my initial questions out of the way in short order I was told:

“Belfast too compact?  Less Metro to build and open sooner!”

“What about the sleech, a soupy sub-soil that has always affected Belfast structures?  Other cities planned around rivers, such as London and Paris, have subway systems.”

“Is traffic that bad?  Just wait, it will be.  The new Titanic Quarter seems to have one way in and no way out.  A traffic nightmare waiting for all the residents to move in.”

The real magic about the Belfast Metro is how Arthur proposes the financing for the $600 million scheme.  He suggests bartering development rights with developers to allow them greater density if they pay for the leg before and the leg after their planned developments.  This is not a new idea.  Quite a few large North American cities ask developers to foot the bill for subterranean transportation so that people can move around in the severe winters.  Arthur was a professor at McGill University in Montreal.  Coincidence, I think not.  In fact to look over the skyline of Toronto, identifies the RT stations as clusters of growth.

Belfast hasn’t yet bought into the Metro proposal.  Very few cities would until the traffic situation gets so bad that an irate public demands it.  However, the opportunity of using development to put the infrastructure in place cannot happen early enough because surface traffic, with its associated pollution, traffic jams, lost time and tempers simply cannot compare to the clean and quiet way people move around with new, clean technology; Singapore would be a great point of reference.

I will be wearing my new Belfast Metro tee-shirt with pride and in the hope that 100 years from now, for more than any other reason Belfast will be remembered for showing the World the way to leap forward in clean transportation.

The Spa takes advantage of a “U” shape which creates a relaxing outdoor courtyard garden. The “open” end provides access to the pool areas.

The Spa contains various pool locations, exercise facilities, and an outdoor Grill Restaurant.

There is also a professionally staffed Golf Academy and Driving Range adjacent to the Spa.

Within the Spa, there  is a traditional Turkish Hammam. It is sometimes referred to as a Turkish Bath. The tradition of the Hammam goes way back into Turkish history, and the design details are many and exacting.

Many resorts around the world have what they are calling Hammams, but in fact they are just glorified steam rooms.

In Turkey, nothing less than a “real” Hammam is acceptable. It consists of three separate areas, each providing a specific function, with a cooling off, social, gathering space at the end of the experience. In the traditions of Turkey, visiting the Hammam is as much a social activity as it is a personal, relaxing, and reflective journey.

To the South of The Spa is a world class amenity area with several pools, hot tubs, and swim-up bar.

The sustainable transportation system is once again evidenced here by way of canal boats in the waterway docked at the Amenity Pavilion.

Named after traditional Turkish symbols, the units are named: Carnation, Olive, Orchid, Ottoman and Tulip.

The Ottoman architectural styles of Turkey provide inspiration for the design adapted to modern codes and indigenous building materials.

This region of Turkey is known as “the cradle of civilization”.  The architectural styles of Turkey are varied and go back thousands of years. The resort design has to appeal to international visitors by creating the ambiance of Turkish tradition without sacrificing the comforts and technology available in the 21^st. Century.

An important aspect of the multi-family design is that each unit must look like one large home. Given the large number of units, great care has been taken to avoid creating the usual look that accompanies multi-family development. The styling creates the feel of large Manor Homes around the undulating terrain of the Golf Course.

As the few residences in Turkey that dock on water are found mostly in the extremely affluent estates along the Bosphorus River, the docks and water access add to the exclusive nature of all resort homes.

Another important facet of the multi-family designs allows varied numbers of units in each structure. For example, the modular Olive could consist of four units, three units, or it could even be a single family home. This way, real estate conditions are not constrained by the design.

Using sustainable design strategies for energy efficiency, the Villas promote healthy living through the use of large outdoor living rooms.  These take advantage of cross ventilation. Large roof overhangs enhance both summer shade and winter sunlight.

Their design reflects the traditional look of very affluent homeowners from Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. Their exclusive nature provides the final touch, that entices international wealth to invest in resort membership.

Within the hilltop village, on the third level, a streetscape and series of plazas create a pedestrian friendly environment for the formal entrances to each of the villas. The Castle Villa central courtyard can only accessed by Castle owners for security purposes and provides an exclusive social space for leisure activity as well as a place for  international business relationships to develop in a unique and relaxed atmosphere.

The Castle Villa interiors are styled to appeal to these same international tastes, and create a place for one of a kind real estate investment.

GBA was responsible for both interior and exterior concepts of the entire Resort project, however, the prestigious designers at Georgio Armani have been approached to add their special touches to the castle units.

Southern Turkey has a wonderful climate, similar to Florida, along with a critical mass of high quality Golf Courses.  As such, the Castle Villas are aimed at the specific, sophisticated client who might already own several such homes around the World and wishes to “follow the sun” with his or her lifestyle.

The Resort side of The Hub coordinates the electric vehicle and waterway transportation which service the entire resort.

Adjacent to The Hub are The Galleria Shops with the Pomegranate Hotel above. The center of The Galleria features some of the largest social spaces for guests. Open-air restaurants and the Shops with converging alleyways provide intimate places for guests to gather.

The Boat Basin, which is  prominently in the center, makes the unique waterway transportation system fun as well as functional. With the perimeter resort’s canal system, guests can access the center plaza by water  thereby contributing to the constant motion and life of the plaza. The plaza is designed as a public square with outdoor café seating, street performers, and a stage venue for larger evening performances and provides for an outdoor living room experience in which resort guests are invited and encouraged to participate in the ‘social theatre’ of the resort.

To bring the feel of Turkey to international visitors, The Galleria Shops provide a sense of discovery and adventure with their narrow streets and winding pathways. This is where you will find boutique shops for  fabrics, artwork, Turkish coffees and cakes, street performers, and a stage venue for larger evening performances.

The Galleria Village is composed of small individual buildings on the perimeter of a circular arcade that encloses the central plaza.  This arrangement integrates the buildings with their surroundings to support the street as a place for pedestrians and provide users with a sense of discovery.

With the combination of retail on the first floor with guest rooms above, a mixed-use density typical of a European village is created.  The buildings’ use of overhangs, balconies, offsets, and fountains create interesting spaces for guest to explore, sit, and relax with food and beverage.  The Galleria Village provides a full range of services within walking distance of the residences, such as deli’s, bakeries, neighborhood grocery, coffee and tea house, florist, wine and spirits, featured artists’ studios and other diverse retail.

The flat 840 acre property has been transformed into “green” wetland areas and rolling terrain with cliff side castles. The sustainable use of energy has been a major consideration in every aspect of the design, especially by use of electric vehicles and waterway transportation.

The Master Plan, by EDSA Ft. Lauderdale, shows the massive scope of the project. The golf course is the centerpiece with 24 Castle Villas featured on a hill within the southerly loop. Multi-family residential will surround the golf course on all sides.

Designed to be “green” from the beginning, visitors leave their cars at the entrance underground parking.  Automobile use is restricted within the Resort.  Sustainable, environmentally friendly modes of transportation are encouraged as alternates.  As guests and residents arrive, they are provided with their own personal electric vehicle (NEV) that allows them access throughout the resort.  A network of canals provide alternative means of circulation by ferry boat.  In addition, pedestrian and bicycle paths allow active guests to explore and reach their destinations, or just exercise.

To maintain water quality, Cloward H2O has designated the golf course as home to wetland areas which aerate continuously circulating water through aquatic plants.

This resort’s unique geographic location on the Mediterranean Sea makes it a popular leisure destination for the wealthy Middle East, the upper crust of Europe, and the oligarch wealth of Russia.

The style has to appeal to buyers from all of these diverse cultures and still reflect the rich traditions of Turkey. The traditional architectural details blend all of these styles to create a look that is new and old, all at the same time.