Gezi Park District

Gezi Park District

8E3A7BPY | COVER PAGE BACKFACE

Gezi Park District

Gezi Park District The Urban Living Room Taksim Square has been going through transformations since the beginning of the 20th century. We strongly believe there is no ultimate solution one can reach to fix Taksim. It is simply not the way we see the nature of design and the role of the architect, the urban planner, landscape designer. At the moment, we are experiencing odd artifacts from the previous planning decisions taken. We can observe and experience these as people living in Istanbul.

Istanbul has a very strong topographical character. Taksim square is a plateau at +85m sea level, located on the ridge formed by great topographical change - this path is called Tarlabasi Caddesi, Halaskargazi Street, and Buyukdere Caddesi, reaching 14km north till Haciosman. On this spine, Taksim serves as a hub almost as crucial as Mecidiyekoy and Levent.

Henri Prost defined the steep drop from Taksim in the northeast direction as a green valley knowing the topographical character of Istanbul. Today, Henri Prost’s Gezi Park is no longer a green valley. Ceylan Intercontinental, Ritz Carlton, and many more standalone private buildings with their fence were built into the valley, interrupting the continuity of the green belt idea.

Yet, we believe Taksim is no longer the most crucial transportation hub in the city. The city has had a trend of migrating with consumption - not because of maximized capacity - towards north starting in the 20th century. Starting from the Ottoman Palace migrating from Topkapi to Dolmabahce, there has been a historical trend to migrate towards the north of Istanbul.

This trend was followed by the business district of Karakoy moving to Mecidiyekoy, later to Maslak. IBB’s new office was considered in Maslak, Galatasaray’s Stadium moved from Taksim Square to Mecidiyekoy; later to Seyrantepe, United States Consulate moved to North to Istinye from historical Istanbul, bank headquarters moved from Karakoy to 4.Levent, even the main airport moved to North in 2019.

ORGANIZATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS ALIGNED ON BUYUKDERE STREET, CROSSING TWO HIGHWAYS E-5 AND E-6

Taksim Square has gotten weaker as a business center of Istanbul as a result of this migration, yet Taksim has always managed to preserve its socio-political meaning. In the 21st century, the government defined Taksim Square as trouble making public space where protests are made often on the 1st of May; often, shops were vandalized every year as a result of the tension. The gatherings, demonstrations were banned in Taksim on almost every meaningful day, including New Year’s Day. The government was showing the public two new addresses for gatherings: Yenikapi Meeting Zone and Maltepe Meeting Zone. These vast concrete plains - larger than Tiananmen Square were reclaimed land on the coast of Istanbul to justify the removal of Taksim Square from the city. Providing the central, most extensive of its kind solution to any need has been an urban planning strategy

DRAWING SHOWING STRONG TOPOGRAPHY OF ISTANBUL IN RELATION TO LANDMARKS AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS

in the 21st century in Turkey. This formula was followed for city hospitals, court buildings, the need for gatherings treated in the same way.

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 1

TAKSIM SQUARE REMAINS AS A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF DENSE URBAN FABRIC OF ISTANBUL

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Gezi Park District

The plan of filling Taksim Square with buildings was interrupted by the Gezi Protests started by people of Istanbul standing in front of the bulldozers at the end of May, beginning of June in 2013. As a

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result, the government was convinced not to build the shopping mall and ice rink. The protest forced Taksim to remain as a blank sheet with its existing problems, untouched.

What Taksim needs today is not a new author. Yet, we have to

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come up with a strategy to make it a better place collectively. We

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are proposing a plan, a framework for immediate problems that can

be realistically done and does not require unrealistic political power to bring into real life. The construction of the underground tunnel for vehicles from Tarlabasi to Sisli has just finished a few years ago,

even though it is not ideal for pedestrian experience entering Taksim and increases the space in addition to the existing undefined space, ��  ­

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we think it is a step taken that can have it’s own advantages.

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Gezi Park is no longer as part of Henri Prost’s Green Valley idea. It

is a park surrounded by police, and on the pre-2013 days, the park served substance abusers and had been a scary place to enter. The

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BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 2

level change between the Taksim Square as we know and the Gezi Park created compartments within the potential great open space,

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resulting in disconnection. Consequently, Gezi Park has been a black hole in the middle of Istanbul.

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The empty space is valuable for the coming great Istanbul earthquake, and we are aiming to develop the park with material strategies for rainwater collection to set new standards for the rest of the development in Istanbul.

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We have seen great public green spaces in New York (High Line)

and Seoul (7017, Skygarden). Lately, Washington DC (11th Street

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Bridge Park) is also planning a landscaped bridge as a public space.

Since Gezi Park is untouchable for good reasons, there is a

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potential to extend the park just like a carpet onto the empty space. This carpet-like approach is similar to traditional

Turkish treatment for empty concrete space, the living room.

Turks traditionally pile carpets on top of each other with a sense of directionality - pointing corridors, rooms opening to the central space. We feel a similar approach would be ­ appropriate for an empty concrete public space in Istanbul.

Gardens, other ground treatments stacked on top of each other inspiring multiple uses into the open space. In Anatolia, carpets tell stories with their patterns; we aim to reflect the past of Taksim square within the choice of patterning.

We propose to expand the park onto the rest of Taksim Square.

For the reasons explained above, we believe Taksim has lost its socio-political importance and remains as an undefined, wasted space right in the middle of a potentially very lively urban fabric. By expanding the park onto the indefinite area, we are aiming to ramp down and make these two levels one. A singular plain unifying Gezi Park with the Taksim Square again.

Gezi Park District

Recognizing its disconnection from Green Valley, instead of getting

The biggest intervention we are proposing is a lightweight,

rid of Gezi Park, we want to give it a new definition; we want to

relatively cheap scaff olding structure that will mark each node

open it up safely to the city with enough light and visual security. In

on our 50m x 50m grid, providing lighting, electricity, and other

Gezi Park, we want to avoid too many tree relocations; therefore, we

infrastructural needs for the new Taksim Square; the pavilions.

only change the walkways within the park, redirecting them into the

Pavilions will host infrastructure such as small programs like kiosks

city. Plugging them into existing flows, following axis from existing

for food, newspapers, coffee shops. The cube-like screens on top of

Talimhane, and align and ramp it down to Istiklal Street.

each pavilion will have the capability to move up and down almost

rotated square within the project zone. We call this square Gezi Park District. This rotated square defines a new potential for redevelopment, reuse of existing buildings in Talimhane in harmony with the new Taksim Square. It also leaves a negative

15m. The multimedia shows will be held on special occasions, sponsors, and media artists will be able to design spectacular experience 24 hours a day in the heart of the city. The selected pavilions will also be designed via competition between artists and architects.

space on four sides to be defined. One corner will be serving Istiklal

We are also proposing elevated walkways that are acting as bridges

Street; the second corner will belong to AKM, and the third corner

to North and North East, connecting Taksim to Ataturk Kitapligi and

as a dense green zone full of trees and fourth corner will provide

Divan Hotel. These walkways would be integrated into the pavilions

Sisli Urban connection.

for circulation.

This focus area development will be called Gezi Park District.

Gezi Park District, in time, will become a lively place like

Taking two blocks of Talimhane within its influence area, we would

Asmalimescit, announcing the rebirth of Taksim, which will

like to give a new definition to the emptiness existing at the moment

influence Istiklal Street and Sisli to be more urban, filled with people

without building a single new building.

again, celebrating life in a sustainable way full of culture and art,

We define a system to read the existing fabric of Taksim Square; it is a 50m x 50m module starting from Cumhuriyet Aniti, Gezi Fountain, and edges of the square fall entirely within this grid system. This grid is also used to form terraces moving the ground plane up and

the way it used to be. We are proposing a collective strategy to give birth to a new social city center taking advantage of its lightness after the migration of its every single function to the north and waterfront of Istanbul.

down to match the topographical differences.

The existing city fabric of Talimhane is to be partially renewed by injecting new buildings into the locations falling on this 50m x 50m grid defined by us following existing structures in Taksim.

These interventions will be open to design competitions and also given to trusted major architects of Istanbul for redevelopment. Instead of a Tabula Rasa approach, this will slow down the evolution and make the regeneration more natural.

The marble staircase of Gezi Park will be preserved as an amphitheater facing the red carpet for the public in front of AKM, which is a new zone defined by us as a place for gathering for celebrations, protests in a more reasonable size. The crowd will still

APRIL 2020, CURRENT SITUATION OF TAKSIM SQUARE

have the potential to spread over the grass and Gezi Park area since we get rid of the level change in our proposal.

The red carpet for all is a red ground where also Istanbul Metro is exiting; taxis drop you off; it is the zone of arrival. We keep the vehicle road as it is in front of AKM but would level this road with the red ground, and only define the vehicle road with balustrades.

Once a year, a design competition will be held among artists and architects to design a pavilion on the corner of AKM, similar to “Kavusma Duragı” built in 2020.

KAVUSMA DURAGI BY INTER NATIONAL DESIGN (ARMAN AKDOGAN AND FELIX MADRAZO) TEMPORARY PAVILION IN TAKSIM (2020)

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 3

This extension of the city grid from Talimhane gives us a

Gezi Park District

Accoding to IBB maps, Taksim is a safe zone for gathering when the Istanbul Earthquake happens.

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Istanbul Earthquake is expected to happen soon Climate Change is happening BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 4

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Turkey is going through diff icult times financially.

The design has to be the DNA of a resilient Istanbul. A place to gather safely in an emergency. Its materiality and features should be environmentally friendly, save water, and allow recycling and re-use. The design that allows phasing will enable the project to be developed in the long term rather than one shot, and in terms of our transportation strategy for the site since the road network was built very recently.

Istanbul has been consuming its land without using the real potential with planning densely. Architects can not change this wasteful approach on their own. Without political and social power to design better, we have to see the advantage of this migration. Galatasaray, Isbankasi, Residency of the President, the main Airport, Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi, all of these buildings moved or planned to move north of Istanbul. Raising the question for us, are we going to have a new Mecidiyekoy once the migration is complete? What happens to the land left behind? Can we celebrate it by introducing more social programme?

Turning Emptiness to Indeterminate Green Space

Gezi Park District

BEYOGLU KĂœLTĂœR YOLU is proposed by the Ministry of Tourism connecting Istiklal Street to Galataport. We are proposing to complete the walk as a loop by making GEZI PARK DISTRICT being the main hub for the walk. Istanbul Modern, Galataport, Galata Tower, Asmalimescit, Nevizade, Arter Museum, Cemil Topuzlu, Lutfi Kirdar, Inonu Stadium would be located on this walk.

AT THE MOMENT TAKSIM SQUARE

“SOLVING� THE PROBLEMS OF

WE BELIEVE THE TRADITIONAL CITY

IS A GIANT CONCRETE SURFACE BIGGER THAN ALMOST ANY CITY

TAKSIM SQUARE IS A VERY AMBITIOUS TASK REQUIRING

SQUARE DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANING IN OUR CURRENT SOCIETY.

SQUARE IN THE WORLD. THE GENEROSITY OF THE SPACE IS ALMOST TOO BIG TO TURN INTO ANY OF ITS POTENTIAL.

FINANCIAL, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DETERMINATION AND CONSENSUS. WE DON’T BELIEVE IN “SOLVING TAKSIM SQUARE� THEREFORE OUR APPROACH IS A STEP TAKEN TO

TAKSIM SQUARE NO LONGER HAS THE SAME MEANING IT USED TO HAVE IN THE 1900S. THE URBAN LIMITS OF ISTANBUL IS BEYOND THE IMAGINATION OF HENRI PROST’S

BEING FLEXIBLE MEANS BEING AVAILABLE FOR NOTHING. AT THE MOMENT TAKSIM SQUARE IS LIKE A GIANT HOLE IN A VERY DENSE CITY.

IMPROVE THE CURRENT URBAN CONDITION.

ISTANBUL. WE PROPOSE TO RESIZE THE GREEN AREA PROVIDED WITHOUT DEMOLISHING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS BUILT VERY RECENTLY.

Gezi Park District

The empty concrete space of Taksim Square is surrounded by vibrant urban patches such as Beyoglu, Sisli, Dolapdere, Talimhane, Macka, Gumussuyu. We see these lively urban patches just like small carpets where different profiles of people live inside. Our proposal is to extend the existing vibrant neighborhood into the concrete space and cover the

“hole” with urban activity - a vast green park. Carpets define empty spaces for us in the Turkish home scale. Like our homes, on the urban level, carpets could inspire a variety of activities, with stories recorded on their patterns reflecting sociology, history of the people and their city.

HANDS ON HIPS (ELİBELİNDE)

IT IS THE SYMBOL OF FEMININITY. IT SYMBOLIZES NOT ONLY MATERNITY AND FERTILITY, BUT ALSO GOOD LUCK, FERTILITY, FORTUNE, HAPPINESS AND JOY.

WATER WAY (SUYOLU)

WATER IS THE SYMBOL OF REBIRTH, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, CONTINUITY OF LIFE, FERTILITY, NOBILITY, WISDOM, PURITY AND VIRTUE. IT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE PURIFICATION SYMBOL. HE IS THE SOURCE OF BOTH LIFE AND DEATH. IN ANATOLIA, WATER IS LIFE ITSELF.

HAND, FINGER AND COMB (EL, PARMAK, TARAK)

“HAND”, THE SYMBOL OF CREATIVE POWER, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGAN THAT SEPARATES MAN FROM ANIMAL. LARGE HAND AND FOOTPRINTS WERE PICTURED DURING THE BRONZE AGE. HANDS SYMBOLIZE STRENGTH, POWER, AND POWER OF DOMINATION.

TRAMMEL (BUKAĞI)

THE NAME OF THE CHAIN THAT PREVENTS HORSES FROM MOVING AWAY FROM THE GRASSLAND, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT TWO LEGS. IT SYMBOLIZES THE CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY. IT SYMBOLIZES LOVE AND UNION. IT IS ONE OF THESE SYMBOLS THAT ENGAGEMENT RINGS ARE TIED WITH RED RIBBONS.

PAT TERNS WILL ALSO SET UP SAFE SOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEEN PEOPLE IN THE GEZI PARK

GOOD LUCK, FERTILITY, FORTUNE, HAPPINESS AND JOY. NATURE, CONTINUITY OF LIFE HANDS, STRENGTH, SYMBOL OF BEING HUMAN CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY, LOVE AND UNION

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City Square as a Green Park

Gezi Park District Design Evolution

+3m

E GL

SIN

+0m ISTIKLAL

A DIVIDED PATCHWORK, TAKSİM SQUARE AT THE MOMENT TAKSIM SQUARE IS IN TWO LEVELS, THE CONCRETE BASE AND THE GEZI PARK +3M ABOVE THE CONCRETE PLATE. WE SEE THIS DIVISION AS A PROBLEM; THIS DIVISION BREAKS ONE GREAT SPACE INTO TWO.

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 6

ISTIKLAL

DEFINE A FOCUS AREA OF DEVELOPMENT REUSE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE WE KNOW THE SENSITIVITY OF BUILDING ANYTHING PERMANENT IN TAKSIM SQUARE. THEREFORE WE WOULD LIKE TO MERGE TALIMHANE INTO THE COMPETITION AREA, TO REBUILD SOME OF THE BUILDINGS OR REUSE EXISTING STRUCTURES.

E

SU

AC F R

ISTIKLAL

MAKE TAKSIM SQUARE A SINGLE SURFACE

BY INTRODUCING RAMPS STARTING FROM ALMOST CUMHURIYET ANITI, WE WANT TO CONNECT TWO LEVELS INTO ONE SINGLE SURFACE MAKING PUBLIC ABLE TO WALK EFFORTLESSLY INTO GEZI PARK. IN-FACT, EVEN MAKE TAKSIM EXTENSION OF GEZI PARK.

ISTIKLAL

MAKE THE GEZİ PARK MUCH BIGGER TALIMHANE SEEMS TO BE A CUT-OFF URBAN FABRIC WANTING TO EXTEND INTO TAKSIM SQUARE; WE WOULD LIKE TO COMPLETE TALIMHANE AS NEW GREEN ZONES WHERE PEOPLE CAN REST AND ENJOY GREENERY.

ÇEŞME

ANIT

ISTIKLAL

PROVIDING PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS THE ALIGNMENT OF TALIMHANE SEEMS TO BE COMPLETING THE EXISTING CONNECTIONS MUCH HEALTHIER THAN ANY OTHER ALIGNMENT FOR THE GRID.

ISTIKLAL

DEFINING THE GRID OF TAKSİM SQUARE WE INTRODUCE A PIN / GRID SYSTEM 50x50, WHICH ALSO MATCHES THE CURRENT EXISTING BUILDING EDGES, MONUMENTS, FOUNTAIN to DEFINE THE FORMULA OF NEW DEVELOPMENT. THESE TOWERS WILL ALSO SERVE AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY SQUARE.

Gezi Park District ŞİŞLİ FOREST BEYOĞLU CULTURE

ISTIKLAL

ISTIKLAL

GRID OVERLAPPING BUILDINGS WHENEVER A GRID POINT FALLS OVER AN EXISTING BUILDING, WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE REUSE, REBUILD OR REPROGRAMMING THE EXISTING BUILDING, THIS STRATEGY WILL ENCOURAGE A SOFTER REGENERATION RATHER THAN TABULA RASA.

NEGATIVE SPACE THE ROTATED CENTRAL ZONE WLL BE CALLED GEZI PARK DISTRICT, THIS ROTATED RECTANGLE WILL NATURALLY LEAVE FOUR UNDEFINED CORNERS BECAUSE OF ITS GEOMETRIC ALIGNMENT. THESE ZONES WILL BELONG TO DENSER USE OF EXISTING PROGRAMMES SUCH AS CULTURE, GREENERY.

DOLMUŞ - KADIKÖY

DOLMUŞ - BOSTANCI

DOLMUŞ - BAKIRKÖY

ISTIKLAL

CARPETS OF USES WE ARE ALSO INTRODUCING CARPETS WITH SIMILAR SCALE TO EACH THE URBAN GRID OF TALIMHANE, TO DENSELY HOST CERTAIN USES SUCH AS EXTENSION OF AKM, MARKER FOR ENDING ISTIKLAL STREET, MARKER FOR ENTRANCE TO TAKSIM FROM SISLI, ANNUAL PAVILION ZONE PART OFTHE AKM

ISTIKLAL

ELEVATED WALKWAYS ELEVATED WALKWAYS CONNECT DIVAN AND ATATURK LIBRARY SIDES OF TAKSIM SQUARE TO THE CENTRAL AREA. THEY ALSO ACT AS WALKWAYS AND VIEWING PLATFORMS FOR TOURISTS AND LOCALS.

BUS STOP

ISTIKLAL

TRANSPORTATION NETWORK WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING THE WHOLE ROAD NETWORK REACHING TAKSIM SQUARE. MOST OF THESE ROADS WERE ENGINEERED VERY RECENTLY, AND WE ACCEPT THEM AS THEY ARE, WE ONLY INTRODUCE NEW GATHERING POINTS FOR DOLMUS to IMPROVE EXPERIENCE.

ISTIKLAL

GEZİ PARK DISTRICT COVERED WITH CARPETS OF GREEN, CULTURAL USE ZONES AND FUNCTION SPECIFIC ZONES, HELD TOGETHER WITH AN OVERLAY OF INFRASTRUCTURE GRID, WE PROPOSE TO HAVE A RICH TAKSIM SQUARE TEXTURE FULL OF RICH EXPERIENCES WHILE KEEPING IT DEMOCRATIC AND SAFE.

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 7

BUS STOP

Gezi Park District Infrastructure Pavilions

SCULPTURES OF SOL LEWITT

METALLICA’S WORLDWIRED TOUR STAGE DESIGN, PERFORMING SCREENS

The towers will define the limits for the temporary programs introduced by sponsors such as Nike Football renting a 100x100 zone in Taksim Square for a week. Towers will act as markers, infrastructure providers.

existing monuments such as Cumhuriyet Aniti and Gezi Fountain that are to be preserved. Also the nodes on each 50m network defines the edge of the project area as a precise tool.

45°

9.5m

50m x 50m grid shows potentials for dividing Taksim Square into different sizes for different sponsorship, government or social events. 40,000m2, 30,000m , 25,000m , 20,000m , 5,000m , 2,500m2 with great alignments to the existing fabric.

2

2

2

ELEVATION

2

NEW YEAR’S DAY COUNTDOWN

WATER, ELECTRICIT Y, LIGHT SOURCE, AMPLIFIERS, SCREENS, WASTE COLLECTION NODES

TWIST

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 8

50m x 50m grid works with Taksim Square matching with the

NEW YEAR’ S COUNTDOWN IN THE NEW TAKSIM SQUARE

2,C

1,A

1,A

4,A

2,A

Pavilion Neutral

Pavilion Neutral Rotated

Pavilion Newstand

Pavilion Circulation

Pavilion Circulation B

The neutral pavilion with the rotating screen.

It is located next to the metro exit for Taksim Station. Newsstand also offers seating around the pavilion.

Tower has a 1500mm wide staircase and lifts for elevating the public for the use of the elevated walkways.

Tower has a 1500mm wide staircase and lifts for elevating the public for the use of the elevated walkways. The only difference is the direction of the lifts.

1,A

0,Z

5,X

0,E

1,E

Pavilion Stage

Pavilion Florist

Pavilion Talimhane Gate

Pavilion AKM South

Pavilion Meeting Point

Located in between the red carpet and the preserved staircase of Gezi Park, the stage offers dual aspect stage function depending on the size of the audience.

Located right next to and above the historical Su Isleri building, the pavilion will mark the traditional florist bazaar.

Located right next to and above the historical Su Isleri building, the pavilion will mark the traditional florist bazaar.

Right in front of AKM, inside the reflecting pool, this will be an art piece open for international competition for artists.

Located in front of AKM, the northern pavilion will be an artwork commission/ competition marking the meeting point in Taksim in front of AKM traditionally.

The neutral pavilion only hosts foursided LCD screen and lighting elements for its surroundings and speaker for sharing chosen performances with the public into the park.

Taksim Underground Tunnel

Water Collection

Emergency Infrastructure

FLOOD WATER IN THE NEWLY BUILT UNDERGROUND TUNNEL

MATERIALS ABSORBING AND COLLECTING FLOOD WATER

INFORMATION SCREENS, SPEAKERS, WIFI PROVIDER, ELECTRICITY SOURCE

INTERVENTION WHERE GRID MEETS EXISTING BUILDINGS USE EX ISTING INFRASTRUCTURE INSTEAD OF BUILDING NEW

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 9

Gezi Park District

ARCHITECT 1 DESIGNING NEW PAINTING GALLERY

1

BUILDING IN TALIMHANE

ARCHITECT 2

2

DESIGNING NEW

2

BOUTIQUE HOTEL WITH ART GALLERY IN

4

TALIMHANE

ARCHITECT 3

1

DESIGNING NEW BAR

3

& RESTAURANT WITH ROOF TOP FACING TAKSIM SQUARE AND

5

BOSPHORUS.

ARCHITECT 4 DESIGNING TAKSIM

4

MODERN ART MUSEUM AS PART OF GEZI PARK

THE 50MX50M TOWER GRID WHEN IT IS OVER THE TALIMHANE BUILT MASS - THE EXISTING CITY - BECOMES A MARKER FOR REGENERATION, SELECTED BUILDINGS WILL BE RENOVATED AND RE-PURPOSED BY SUCCESSFUL TURKISH ARCHITECTS INVITED. THE SELECTION IS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DENSITY OF SELECTION, FURTHER STUDIES ARE REQUIRED FOR THE REAL SELECTION

DISTRICT.

ARCHITECTS DESIGNING NEW HOTEL OF TALIMHANE WITH THE MOST POPULAR

3

BAR OF 2022 IN ISTANBUL.

5

Gezi Park District Gezi Park Extended - Safer and Open

MULTIMEDIA MESH IN LOS ANGELES - HIGH LINE IN NEW YORK BRINGS PARK AS A PUBLIC SPACE INTO THE CITY CENTER WITH ART PERFORMANCES AND INSTALLATIONS ALL YEAR

There seems to be an existing grid system in Beyoglu district that 8E3A7BPY | PAGE 10

the city square has erased. This secondary grid, for us, defines the

WE ARE AIMING TO EXTEND THE LIVELY ATMOSPHERE OF ASMALIMESCIT AND CICEK PASAJI TO THE PEDESTRIANIZED TALIMHANE STREETS

circulation and new spaces within the deleted zone.

The elevated walkway provides shading and cooling elements such as waterfalls for the potential occupation underneath.

They also connect the Gezi Park towards Divan Hotel and Ataturk Library direction above the roads.

This alignment of Istiklal Street in relationship with Talimhane was also respected previously by Behruz Cinici’s proposal for Taksim Square. We came up with this alignment approach before finding out on Cinici’s project.

Gezi Park District Extending AKM into Taksim Square

Music in the Park Some performances could be open to the public

BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 11

via screens in the Taksim Square and Gezi Park.

Music in the Park Pop / Rock concerts will be performed on the stage pavilion connected with an underground passage to AKM building for backstage.

Gezi Park District Carpets for Intense Programmatic Use

ARRI VAL ZONE FROM SISLI

ZONE FOR ATATURK LIBRARY CONNECTION

ZONE FOR THE MOSQUE AND SU ISLERI ZONE FOR ANNUAL PAVILION ART DISPLAY

ZONE FOR GATHERINGS, RED CARPET FOR ALL

ZONE FOR ISTIK LAL STREET ARRI VAL

RED CARPET FOR ALL - EXPANDING AKM INTO TAKSIM BUILDING OFFICE | PAGE 12

The red carpet is an exclusive zone in front of the Ataturk Kultur Merkezi (AKM), celebrating the gathering for art. The metro exits are located here, and reflective pools enhancing the AKM experience as architect Tabanlioglu desired to have. The red carpet is also the gathering, waiting area for all events in Taksim Square.

FLEXIBLE GROUND FOR AKM ART INSTALLATIONS The sand-like compressed zone is open to changes during the whole year.

Every summer, a new pavillion such as KAVUSMA DURAGI will be designed by an architect, artist chosen by AKM and will be built on this zone. This “carpet” celebrates constant change, youth, and art.

RED TERRAZZO - NATIONAL WALK TO THE ANIT Red terrazzo is celebrating the National Pride of Turkey. Ataturk Aniti is a significant monument in Turkey, Every national day, government event or protest of opposition parties happen in front of this Monument. We propose to celebrate the walk from Istiklal Street to the Monument with a “carpet” that is made out of red terrazzo stones.

RED CARPET FOR ALL

EXPANDING AKM INTO TAKSIM

Stage in the Park Preserved marble staircase from Henri Prost GEzi Park

Gezi Park District

CYLCLING THROUGH MONUMENTS, CAFES, ART IN GPD

NIGHT VIEW ABOVE TALIMHANE / GPD DISTRICT

ON THE EASTERN END, VIEWING DECK FOR SEA VIEW

PUBLIC SPACE RESPECTING SOCIAL DISTANCING

CUMHURIYET ANITI AND REST OF THE TOWERS

ELEVATED WALKWAY LOOKING INTO TALIMHANE

PRESERVING FOUNTAIN, BALLUSTRADES OF GEZI PARK

FEELING THE BEAUTIFUL GRASS IN GEZI PARK DISTRICT

STAGE INTEGRATED INTO PAVILION

Areas for Development GFA PER BUILDING

GFA PER FLOOR

NUMBER OF FLOORS 10

253m2

2,530m2

3,Z

6

139m2

834m2

4,Y

10

253m2

2,530m2

4,Z

5

233m2

1,165m2

5,W

13

344m2

4,472m2

5,Y

10

179m2

1,790m2

5,Z

8

286m2

2,288m2

5,Z

8

286m2

2,288m2

6,7

6

107m2

642m2

6,Z

5

884m2

4,420m2

7,Z

9

258m2

2,322m2

AKM

ANNUAL PAVILION ZONE

0,D

1,E

0,C

1,D

1,C AMPHITHEATER

3,E 2,D

-1,A

0,B

2,C

3,D

0,Z 1,A

MOSQUE ZONE

2,B

3,C 4,D

5,E

1,Z

2,A 4,C

DOLMUS 5,D

DOLMUS

2,Z

6,E 5,C GEZI PARK FOUNTAIN

3,A

4,B

2,Y

3,Z

CEYLAN INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL 4,A

5,B 6,C

3,Y

4,Z 5,A

6,B

3,X

7,C

8,D

4,Y

5,Z 7,B

6,A 5,Y

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ISTIKLAL STREET ZONE

THE MARMARA HOTEL -2,A

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25,281m2 We are proposing to have 12 special side projects transforming Gezi Park District into the most vibrant area of Istanbul to give back the life to Istiklal Street used to have.

Currently, the marked buildings are marked with illustrative purposes on 50mx50m grid. We will assess and decide with a similar distance to transform around 25,000m2 GFA as strategic new projects to transform Talimhane and give life to Gezi Park District.

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COORDINATION

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ARRIVAL TOURIST BUS AREA 7,Z 9,B

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7,Y DIVAN HOTEL

BUILDINGS FOR REDEVELOPMENT / RENOVATION

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Moments from Gezi Park District

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VEHICLE TRAFFIC ISTANBUL METRO FENIKULER KABATAS

Transportation Strategy

INTRODUCING THE URBAN GRID

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The tunnel built for the road connecting Golden Horn to Halaskargazi Street underground was not the most ideal for the pedestrian experience. However, it helped Taksim Square become entirely pedestrian.

We are merely proposing an URBAN GRID similar to manhattan to ease transportation in Gezi Park District.

This move will encourage walking, cycling, scooter usage. We also propose to drill a hole on the mega concrete surface to create a visual connection between the underground bus station and overground use.

VISUAL CONNECTION WITH THE TUNNEL By creating a hole in the concrete surface where the inner part of the tunnel and the Istanbul Metro Galeri is aligned on top of each other, daylight will be entering into the tunnel and the metro levels. At the moment for pedestrians on the Taksim level can not see the bus stops under the concrete plate; therefore, we propose to open a terracing hole until we reach the metro level.

Gezi Park District Second Stage Team Structure

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8E3A7BPY@GMAIL.COM

ARCHITECT TEAM LEADER Oversees the design development making sure the design is compatible with the economic and technological realities of the context. Development of design drawings, details managing sub-Consultants.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER DESING LEAD Design Lead develops the concept with the team leader, production of the presentation, day to day coordination with sub-consultants during early design stages manages and edits contriubtions in the most coherent way.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Designing the pavilion structural system with its modularity, consulting on new infrastructure grid and their potentials.

MUSEOLOGIST Explores the history of Taksim and its artefacts and their role in society, as well as the new activities proposed, the public will engage in, including curating, preservation, public programming, and education.

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER

THE DESIGN, USER EXPERIENCE

Development of concept design with the rest of the team. Makes sure the design is ethically correct in terms of environment and designs the vegetational composition, decides on the right specimens for the Istanbul climate. Landscape designer develops strategies for water aggregation, landscape design details in the second stage.

AND INNOVATION CONSULTANT

URBAN PLANNER

MEDIA ARTIST

Development of concept design with the rest of the team. Makes sure the design suggests changes on the existing urban network that is necessary with minimum effort and maximum effect, enabling the traffic flow to be seamless around Taksim Square.

Media Arist curates and explores the potentials of the multimedia screens in the proposal - the pavilions.

The consultant brings the user/client perspective to the project. Asks the right questions and helps clarification of the concept, helps to structure the presentations, and caters the design to meet the public expectations.

BUILDING OFFICE ISTANBUL BUILDINGOFFICE.COM PUBLIC RELATIONS PR@BUILDINGOFFICE.COM