Kavalina Emlak ve Turizm Danismanlıgı is established by naif architect Mehmet Güleç. The projects in the portfolio include Akköy Evleri Cave Hotel with its 8 chambers and 3 terraces, as well as open cave kitchen and the rock-carved bar, 3 storey Akkoy Evleri Museum House and 1001 Dreams Cave Rooms in the making. Most Cappadocian village houses were built on hill sides, either carved out of the rock or built from large cut stones. Volcanic stone is the main architectural material in the region, used for building as it is soft when extracted and can therefore easily be cut and shaped. The abundance of stone in the area, and the ease of use have created a very unique buliding technique across the area. However, this kind of work requires innate knowledge of the material as well as local masonry techniques. Wood is used for courtyard gates and the houses' doors and some of the inside areas. Rosette and ivypattens are often used as decorations above the arched doors, fireplaces and entrances. Other common stone-carved patterns used (painted or plain rock) are rosettes, fans, stars, palmet, weather vanes and stylised plant patterns. In village houses, windows are grouped in twos and threes and stylised plant patterns are also used at times as decorative borders. In our village houses there are numerous rooms and quarters serving diffrerent functions, often with distinct names, a kitchen, cellar, store room, an oven (tandir), wine vat, and animal quarters, as well as an inner courtyard. The most interesting examples of local architecture belong to the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, although Akköy itself has been inhabited since the Hittite times and some house use Asyrrian caves and have wall-carvings that date back at least 3000 years or more. We work with a team of experiences masons, craftsmen, woodcarvers and workmen who are all from the region. We specialise in small projects that preserve the history and original spirit of the places we bring back to life and we take care of all the details required to make your village home a sancturary of comfort, serenity, and simple elegance.
