SPACE June 2025 (No. 691)
©Emre Dörter
©Thomas Mayer
Located in the heart of ancient Antioch, The Museum Hotel Antakya stands atop one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in modern Türkiye. Initially planned as a conventional five-star hotel with a different architect, construction halted when the extensive Roman-era ruins were unearthed. A scientific committee of archaeologists, architects, and historians were then called to guide the process. In response to the impossibility of traditional construction, EAA reimagined the project, blending hospitality with preservation.
Prefabricated room modules ©Cemal Emden
Hotel lobby suspended above the ruins ©Roberto Russo
Overlapping of different programmes ©Emre Dörter
Open-air circulation connecting to the guest rooms ©Thomas Mayer
Elevated above the site by composite piers avoiding ruins, the hotel floats over history. Public spaces and rooms were designed using prefabricated modules and open courtyards inspired by local traditions. Beneath, there is a museum – managed by The Ministry of Culture and Tourism – and an archeo-park that has been integrated through suspended walkways that allow visitors to explore the preserved site without disturbing it. The sensitive design approach resulted in a unique programme; the hotel facilities that tend to be placed on the ground floor in any conventional hotel design were placed on the roof level, taking traditional local architecture as a reference point with its open courtyards and landscape elements. Balancing the rigid demands of a hotel with the fragility of archaeological heritage, the design redefines public-private coexistence. The Museum Hotel Antakya not only respects the cultural layers beneath but uncovers them as its defining feature—offering an unparalleled model where architecture becomes both the protector and storyteller of history.
Section perspective
(top) 2F plan, (bottom) Ground floor plan
Pier avoiding ruins ©Emre Dörter
EAA (Emre Arolat)
Antakya, Türkiye
hotel, museum
17,374m²
11,000m²
34,000m²
113
29.3m
64%
195%
steel frame
wooden laminate
powder coated room paint
Nodus Engineering
Termomek Engineering, BESA Engineering
HB Teknik
2011
2019
ASF Hotel & Tourism
EAA, DS Architecture
120 million USD