MORE THAN ONE TAKSIM SQUARE Taksim is a tired square, like every square in the world in most cosmopolitan cities. Taksim has carried not only Istanbul, but also Turkey on its shoulders for decades. Taksim has almost always been the environment for socio-political tensions to erupt. Sociological changes in the country has always been reflected here. Due to its dynamic environment, it has also become a fertile ground for the cultural and economic exchanges. Acting or protesting in Taksim becomes a litmus-test for social movements from the workers’ organizations to women organizations to prove their authenticity. Although it has been one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Istanbul has unfortunately been the victim of decades long skewed urbanization and concretion. In time, the city has lost its much-needed green space to the rent-seekers. While they are basic human needs, green and nature become a luxury in Istanbul. Today, what is left as a green space is very limited and not meeting the needs of the overburdened capacity of the city. Taksim Gezi incidents of 2013 was the outcry of the city for the need for green space in Istanbul. With this incident, Taksim Square had its name in the history one more time. Nature is the critical component of the lives of human beings like all other living organisms. Long-term deprivation of being in nature causes damages on human health. The literature on health sciences had proved the links between this lack of access to nature and physical and psychological impacts on human health. With industrialism and modernization, access to nature for city person became a financial burden. You need an additional time for commuting to the countryside, you need a car and gas, you need a secure natural environment to visit etc. Therefore, people living in cities, especially in Istanbul, do not have an equal access to nature like the ones living in other cities in Turkey or in the World. Lack of having city squares also increased the gap between the ones who have access to nature and who do not. In addition to its historical roles, Taksim merging with the Gezi Park became one of the most significant space for the residents of Istanbul to breath. This space, which is no longer sufficient for the overflowing population, has also been a transportation hub for a long time. Every day, the vast majority of residents of Istanbul who go to work in the city pass through Taksim. This communication hub, which has played the most important roles for the city for a long time, is trying to provide service over its capacity. With all these reasons, my design offers two things: to increase the capacity of the city and to allow the residents of the city and visitors to experience Istanbul in a more humanely and eco-friendly way without damaging the Taksim Squares soul. In line with that, the main idea of my design is that Istanbul needs more than one Taksim Square. I started the project by adding another square to Taksim and its surroundings. The second level is at 7.40meters high and it is reached by ramps, stairs or horizontal circulation points, and with this new plan, it has become a space that meet the recreation needs of the city. While this second level responds to the sports needs by having uninterrupted running and cycling roads, its green and circulation areas for a walk are provided to the residents who want to get away from the city stress for a moment. The green space of the Gezi Park can be reached at the +3.70 level before the 0.00 level with the ramps and stairs in the heart of the Square. You can also climb to the +7.40 level with the same ramp and stairs. Since these stairs and ramps carry the same logic as the amphitheater, they can also be used as screening places when necessary. Below the second wooden layer created in the project , the uninterrupted flow of fast Istanbul city life will continue. Rapid transition to the transportation hub and vehicles will be accessed as now. The most significant difference in the project is that the upper level has taken away the vast majority of the crowd that wants to do sightseeing, wandering around and sports activities from the transportation area. Through this way, the human speed at the Square will be homogenized by levels. While the fast paced life is in the downstairs, slower life will be expected in the upstairs. The second level material consists of wood and grass areas. This city, where the percentage of concrete is excessive, needs a material that is warm and closer to the nature. While the second level covers the top of the project area at +7.40, like a veil, from place to place creates semi-permeable and openness areas. These areas are holes made to prevent the Square and other areas covered by the level from being completely deprived of sunlight. In this way, the large patches of darkness and shadows emerged by the upper level will be lightened and the need for a sunlight will be provided to a major extent at the 0.00 level. In Gezi Park, no trees were touched. On the contrary, Gezi park has more trees in the project than it has now and the concrete and stones in the green space have been completely removed. The ground of the space with trees was transformed into a virgin area completely covered with soil. This city needs to smell the fresh soil and to see the fallen autumn leaves on this soil, not on the hard concrete ground. From the +7.40 level , the bridges of the second layer cross the top of the area with trees that is tried to be kept natural and virgin. These bridges at the 7.40 level are critical transportation networks and they were created to leave the green area at +3.70 level untouched and completely natural. From time to time, Istiklal Street’s “sahaf” culture meets the people of the city. Istiklal Street’s artistic and cultural life is observed through festivals and temporary exhibitions. This artistic and cultural life can be presented in some closed spaces under the wooden layer at +7.40 kot through temporary art exhibitions and festivals. To conclude, our squares are not enough for us. Taksim square carries all the tasks a square can have on its back with limited space (m2). Istanbul is very close to resembling those abnormal crowded cities in sci-fi movies. We, human beings, deserve a humanely life and a city. We need to go back to the nature not in the depths of a life that makes us look like robots gradually. So, now, we need more than one Taksim Square.
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