The iconic center-piece of Belek Golf Club is a castellated village.   With a predominantly flat topography, the design of luxurious four-story castle villas appear as hilltop residences.  From the surrounding golf course, the castle villas’ lower two-stories are within a perimeter wall faced with battered stone and punctured with light wells.  The upper two floors step back to form the appearance of hilltop residences.  Within the hilltop village, on the third level, a streetscape and series of plazas create a pedestrian friendly environment and the formal entrances to each of the villas.

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.

Belek Golf Club is currently under construction on 840 beautiful acres in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains of Southern Turkey.  In May, 2009 sales will begin for the luxury Golf Resort with 2,400 Residential units, Reception, a Boutique Hotel over Galleria retail, a Turkish Spa and a 30,000 s.f. Clubhouse.

A world-renowned, hall-of fame golfer, Jose Maria Olazabel has designed the centerpiece course as a figure “8” which accommodates the signature, architectural feature of 24, 12,000 s.f. Castle units.  These special units are 4-storey but appear to be a castellated hill town rising out of a 25 ft. rocky crag in the middle of the golf course.

With the exception of the Castle Units, all cars are parked at the Reception Building in a 500 car subterranean parking garage.  Transportation around the site is by two-way canal barge, a network of electric buses or individual NEV’s or Segways.

The perimeter transportation canal necessitates a flat site yet GBA, EDSA and Olazabel Design have worked closely to create interesting topography.  In order to meet Turkey’s strict environmental requirements and to maintain water quality, the design team has used the design of the golf course to introduce marsh areas which aerate continuously circulated water.

This project has generated great interest throughout Turkey, Europe and the World Golfing Community.  The Architect’s design package has been translated into a C.G. animation by AlphaVision in Montreal.