(AA photo)
Four 50-year-old trees will soon grow inside the hallways of a new special education school in Bursa after developers overhauled the facility’s architecture to keep them alive.
The Neslihan-Halil Teşik First-Level Special Education School in the İnegöl district features custom walls built around the tree trunks. The upper sections of the layout remain open to the sky, ensuring the trees receive sunlight and survive indoors.
Businessman Selçuk Teşik said they adjusted the initial blueprint to protect nature. The project prioritizes the natural habitat, with the facility costing 60 million Turkish Liras ($1.7 million) upon its expected completion.
“While wanting it to be a special place suitable for the meaning of the school, we wanted to incorporate our trees without harming them,” he said.
“These trees are about 50 years old, and once they’re cut down, there’s no bringing them back,” he said. “It takes half a century for a tree like this to grow, which is why we must protect them.
The visual beauty of the enclosed trees will create a unique atmosphere, providing a special learning environment for both students and teachers, he said.
Teşik funded a second-level center in 2018. He initiated this project after local centers reported a growing need for special education facilities. He said they plan to carry out different projects in the future.
Construction is largely complete. Teşik said the building will be handed over to the Education Ministry following final interior arrangements and the appointment of teaching staff.
Slated to open for the second school term, the facility will serve local children with special needs.
In Türkiye, private philanthropy plays a vital role in expanding educational infrastructure, particularly for facilities designed around complex physical and learning needs.
