We came together with Bengü Cennet Coşkun and Ömer Selçuk Baz beneath a great oak tree in the garden of the Troy Museum, designed by Yalın Mimarlık. Talking about Troy’s stories within the landscape that still carries their traces was a particular pleasure, and very close to the kind of conversation I had hoped Yalın Şeyler might make possible.
In the discussion, which I moderated, Bengü’s perspective on mythology met Selçuk’s reflections on the museum’s design. We spoke about Troy’s enduring presence, from Homer’s epics to the present, the relationship between memory and space, and how architecture can carry a narrative.
In the book, I had returned to the Troy Museum through several different concepts. This time, we could discuss those ideas on site, together with the museum’s architect, Bengü, who approaches mythology through another discipline, and everyone who joined us. The museum garden and the surrounding landscape became part of the conversation.
During the Çanakkale programme on 3–4 June, supported by Kalebodur, Rüstem Aslan guided us through the ancient city of Troy, and Selçuk through the museum. The Yalın Şeyler Çanakkale exhibition at the Troy Museum, curated by Heval Zeliha Yüksel, accompanied the gathering, making the practice’s working process visible.
We learned from one another, thought together and laughed a great deal. The conversation reminded me how rewarding it can be to explore architecture’s connections with other fields. My thanks to Bengü, Selçuk, Sibel Keyvan for coordinating the gathering, Kalebodur for their support, and everyone who joined us.