/ Modesty

Ali Nezih Uzel was an invaluable man of culture. In his 74 years of life, he worked as a journalist for major newspapers, translated the works of many authors, promoted the Mevlevi culture at home and abroad, is one of the last representatives of the generation in the traditional culture circle of Istanbul.

In his private life; He applied the teachings of Sufi culture to his lifestyle, lived a simple life, shared his possessions with others, approached all living things with tolerance.

In the light of these features of Nezih Uzel, the design of the grave; was approached with a plain and quiet design language, far from vanity, that benefits other living things with its presence, that reveals itself from a distance only with a fruit tree.

The most noticeable thing in the present grave was the Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) tree, the only fruit tree in the area, located in the center of the grave. The fruit tree, which is a meaningful metaphor for interpretation of the world in Sufi literature, was considered as the focal point of this design. 

The grave is an exposed concrete slab whose center is subtracted circularly, sloped to the center, and elevated from the ground. With the help of the grooves on this concrete slab, carry rainwater into the corten steel gutter located in the center of the grave. Water accumulated in the gutter; can be drunk by the creatures living in the cemetery such as birds, cats, and dogs, and the excess of the accumulated water feeds the loquat tree.

Concrete has been chosen because it is a structural material and can take shape. Corten steel; has been our choice because it can be written on, is resistant to corrosion, creates a contrast on the concrete material, is compatible with the cemetery landscape, and is a beautifully aging material.