Defining the effect of memory on the design of temporality in the architecture of science centres with hauntological perspective

This study examines the interactions between the past, present, and future in the architecture of science centers from a hauntological perspective, discussing how spatial memory is shaped by temporality. Derrida's concept of hauntology is approached in the thesis as a framework that enables the examination of ambiguous transitions between presence and absence, the persistence of the past in the present, and the influences of the future on the now. In this context, science centers are considered not only as spaces for the transmission and experience of scientific knowledge but also as cultural sites intertwined with national identity, collective memory, and ideological discourses. Among the large-scale science centers supported by TÜBİTAK, the Konya, Kocaeli, Elazığ, Kayseri, and Antalya Science Centers, along with Bursa GUHEM, have been selected as case studies and evaluated from a hauntological perspective. Hauntological traces have been pursued in these structures through elements such as urban and social context, spatial relationships, function, form, material, and the values of image, symbol, and emblem. The study analyzes and discusses the reasons and impacts behind the emergence of the ghosts of the past, present, and future within these elements.The findings reveal that science centers accommodate the ghosts of the past (such as cultural heritage, historical styles, and past ideals), the ghosts of the future (such as climate change, discourses of science and progress, and ideology), and the ghosts of the present (such as consumerism and universality) simultaneously. In this regard, science centers are neither entirely rooted in the past nor solely oriented toward the future; rather, they are hybrid spaces where both temporalities intertwine and merge with the influences of the present. Ultimately, this study proposes a new method of evaluation within the context of architectural history and theory by demonstrating how the architectural style of science centers is shaped by layers of temporality and how they can be interpreted through a hauntological approach. Thus, it offers a fresh perspective on architectural style debates concerning public and cultural projects in Turkey, particularly those built in the 2000s, which engage with the past as a reference in their design and interpretation.