Our Foundation started planning in 2004 for the redesign and construction of the entrance unit of the Bursa Muradiye Külliye motivated by our observation that the entrance units of our archaeological sites, monumental buildings and museums used for security, information or ticket selling purposes were carelessly built and were incompatible with the architectural characteristics of the monuments they constituted a part of.
Our Cultural Awareness Foundation initiated in 2004 the Architectural Contest for the Design of the Multifunctional Entrance Unit of the Muradiye Külliye with the support of the Yıldız University, Faculty of Architecture. A jury comprising reputable architects and art historians announced architect Gizem Ünek’s design as the winner of the contest among 55 architectural projects prepared by a total of 78 architects and students of architecture. Architecs Tomris Akın, Ervin Garip, Begüm Yazgan and student of architecture Emre Aydilek received mentions. All works accepted in the contest were displayed at the exhibition hall of the Yıldız Teknik University, the Faculty of Architecture in October 2004 and at the exhibition hall of the Bursa State Fine Arts School in February 2005, for one week each.
The construction of the award-winning design was carried out by Orhan Holding Company based in Bursa, and the new entrance unit was officially inaugurated on June 21, 2006 with a ceremony attended by the Deputy Governor of Bursa Bekir Ergök, Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Ahmet Gedik, Director of Bursa Museums Öcal Özeren, architect Feridun Sülün and Gülnur Döşemeciler from Orhan Holding, CAF President Faruk Pekin and CAF board members.