Renovation, conversion and restoration in Antalya
An ageing building is not always demolished and rebuilt; more often it is repaired, rearranged or given a new use. At Pratikiz Architecture, based in Antalya, we carry out the renovation of existing residential and commercial buildings, the conversion of buildings to a new use (adaptive reuse), and measured surveys and restoration of historic buildings.
What we take on
Renovation, conversion and restoration are three related but different kinds of work. In renovation we repair the existing building and rearrange it for today’s needs. In conversion we adapt the building to a new use, which is also called adaptive reuse. In restoration we repair a building of historic value while keeping its original material and layout.
We start every job by getting to know the building. We inspect it on site, measure it and document it. Then, working from those records, we decide with you what will be kept, what will be renewed and what can change.
On registered (protected) buildings, the project is submitted to the regional conservation council (Koruma Bölge Kurulu) for approval, and work does not start without it. We coordinate this approval process.
Our service is limited to the project and its supervision: we prepare the project and supervise the execution. The contractor carries out the construction. When needed, we work with specialists from other disciplines.
The process: five steps for renovation and restoration
- 01
First meeting and site visit. We see the building on site and assess your expectations and the building’s condition with you. If there is registration or zoning information, we look at it.
- 02
Measured survey and documentation. We measure and draw the building as it stands and document it with photographs. On historic buildings we complete this stage with a restitution study, which reads the changes the building has gone through.
- 03
Preliminary design and decision. We show in a preliminary design what will be kept and what will be renewed or converted, and we refine the project with your feedback.
- 04
Construction drawings and permits. We prepare the construction drawings. On registered buildings we coordinate submitting the project for the regional conservation council’s approval.
- 05
Execution and supervision. The contractor carries out the construction; we supervise that the work follows the project.
Who takes on what?
| Design | Permit | Construction | Materials and purchasing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Us: from the existing condition to construction drawings | Client; on registered buildings we coordinate the council’s approval | Contractor; we supervise it | Contractor or client |
Client: the person or organisation we carry out the project for. Contractor: the firm that carries out the construction. Some municipalities require an alteration permit; the client handles that permit.
For owners of historic buildings and homeowners
For owners of historic buildings: if your building is registered, the council decides what is permitted; we prepare the project within that framework.
For homeowners: if you want to rearrange your house or flat for today’s life, renew a worn-out space or join several spaces into one, we settle your needs and budget together at the first meeting.
Our approach to design
We say that nature is practical. We value production with fewer resources and less energy, simple and effective form, sustainable and local materials such as wood, stone and marble, harmony with people, environment and context, and use that flexes with changing needs. We carry out our work on historic buildings in line with international charters and national law.
Who you work with
Our founder, architect Aydın Uçar (MSc), has been in practice since 1994 (Chamber of Architects registration no. 25555). He holds a master’s degree in survey and restoration from Yıldız Technical University; the degree gives him the legal authority to prepare restoration projects. He worked on the Ministry of Culture’s excavations at Side and has been at Akdeniz University since 1999, where he is now a lecturer. Pratikiz has worked in Antalya since 2017.
Next step
Share photographs of your building and, if you have them, the existing drawings or registration papers; at the first meeting we will assess the building and your expectations together. You can reach us by e-mail, phone or WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between renovation, conversion and restoration?
- In renovation we repair the existing building and rearrange it for today’s needs. In conversion we adapt the building to a new use (adaptive reuse). Restoration is the repair of a building of historic value while keeping its original material and layout. At the first inspection we decide together which of these your building falls under.
- Which buildings do you work on?
- We work on the renovation of residential and commercial buildings, the conversion of buildings to a new use, and measured surveys and restoration of historic buildings.
- Is it better to renovate or to demolish and rebuild?
- It depends on the building’s condition, its zoning status and your expectations. At the first inspection we look at the building and weigh the options with you. If you want to demolish the building and rebuild on the same plot, see our Urban Renewal page.
- How do I find out whether my building is registered?
- Registration can be checked in the annotations on the title deed or with the regional conservation council’s directorate (Koruma Bölge Kurulu Müdürlüğü). If you share this at the first meeting, we plan the process accordingly.
- Can we make the changes we want to a registered building?
- On registered buildings every intervention depends on the regional conservation council’s approval; the council decides what is permitted. We prepare the project within that framework and coordinate the approval process.
- What do measured survey, restitution and restoration project mean?
- A measured survey is a drawing of the building as it stands, made from measurements. Restitution reconstructs, in drawings and from documents, the building’s original form by reading the changes it has gone through. The restoration project builds on these two studies and shows how the building will be repaired.
- Do you prepare restoration projects yourselves?
- Yes. We carry out measured surveys and restoration work on historic buildings. Our founder’s master’s degree in restoration gives him the legal authority to prepare restoration projects.
- Can we change the use of an existing building?
- It depends on the zoning status and the building’s structural system, and on the council’s decision if the building is registered. At the first inspection we assess the building and its zoning status with you and tell you whether the use can change.
- Do alterations need a permit, and who handles it?
- Some municipalities require an alteration permit; the client handles that permit. Registered buildings also need the council’s approval.
- Do you also carry out the renovation work?
- Our service on this page is limited to the project and its supervision: we prepare the project and supervise the execution. The contractor carries out the construction.
- I want to renovate an existing villa or flat; which page should I look at?
- For the renovation of an existing villa, see our Villa page; for the interior of a house or flat, see our Interior Design page. On the work described there, we manage the execution as well.
- What do you do about the structural system of an old building?
- Where the structural system needs strengthening, we work with the relevant engineering specialists.
- How long does it take and how much does it cost?
- We do not give prices or durations on this page; each building and scope is assessed separately.
- Which regions do you work in?
- Our office is in Antalya. We set no regional limit; depending on the project, we can also work outside Antalya.
- How do we get started?
- Write to us or call. We call you back by phone and arrange an appointment at the office. At the first meeting we assess the condition of your building together.
Have a similar project? Let’s look at it together.
What happens when you write to us?
- We read your message and call you back.
- We listen to what you need and arrange an appointment to meet at our office.
What do we discuss in the first meeting?
- Scope and expectations
- The condition of the plot or building
- Design, project and construction options
- The way forward