125_MICROCOSM by konkuristanbul

Urban design competition 2020 - Stage 1

vu9w6vsk@hotmail.com

TAKSIM MICROCOSM

12 + 1 Interventions for public life

Taksim as endangered space Taksim barracks project, AKM destruction, the construction of Taksim TĂźnel and Taksim Camii: a series of recent events have attracted national and international attention. In their symbolism, these actions have made Taksims relevance to the city of Istanbul and beyond unmistakably clear. However, what has suffered in their wake is Taksims nature as open and public place for everyone. The competition area is a highly complex space, dominated by the couple of Gezi park and Taksim square, triangulated by landmarks of republicanism, religion, capitalism and state authority. Taksim is witness to a long history of private construction on public ground: Great areas of what once was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Park no.2â&#x20AC;? have been consumed, also many cultural institutions have disappeared, the most recent one to be AKM. It is therefore appropriate to call Taksim endangered. Gezi Park was once a gift to the public. An open green space free of charge, in the place of military barracks. The plans for their reconstruction as commercial area in 2013 have provoked an outrage. The following protests have shown broad public discontent about the intransparence with which over-dimensioned, unsustainable and highly expensive projects were exercised with no regard to public opinion. That Gezi Park is still there has therefore become an achievement of the public and Taksim has inscribed itself even deeper in the collective memory of people. The modern heart of Istanbul Taksim is not only significant for its symbolical value, it is also an important ground for everyday life. It is a major node for public transport in the city: metro, bus, funicular, taxis and shuttles form a dense and at times confusing web across the site. Many people cross the square on their way to work or university, it is a major recreational area in the dense city fabric, street vendors sell flowers, bread, water or chai and public celebrations and demonstrations are held. The surrounding neighbourhoods feed the square with a great diversity of people from different backgrounds, ages, nationalities and interests. With the plurality of everyday performance, Taksim celebrates life and Istanbul as Metropolis. In order for it to grow as civic and democratic space, it has to be treated with respect, safeguarding multitude and flexibility and heightening quality of use and stay. Microcosm as a method To meet the challenge of working with Taksim, it is crucial to manage its complexity. By applying the metaphor of a microcosm, it is possible to subdivide the project into smaller units that are more easily grasped and handled, without breaking its integrity as a whole. Central criteria for the definition of micro habitats are spatial perception, surface composition, characteristic elements and possibilities for uses. By naming them, they are constituted as intervention zones. Alterations of reasonable size are used to work on their individual character and improve their friendliness of use, resulting in a project that can heighten diversity instead of destroying it.

Istanbul as Macrocosm of Neighbourhoods

Taksim as Microcosm of Public Spaces 03

12 spaces for public life The Square, a big open space for gatherings and events The Balcony, a remnant of state heroism offering a tribune toward the square The Avenue, a wide, recently pedestrianized street for flaneurs The Slope, a soft green slope on the west side of Gezi park, much liked to hang out in the sun The Heart, an especially secure space for children to play, enclosed on three sides The Fountain, symmetrical center and water element of Gezi park The Quiet Edge, a place to stroll of classical design with big trees and a cafĂŠ. The Garden, a somewhat hidden and underestimated remnant of Taksim Garden The gate, where Taksim and Istiklal meet, location of Taksims name-giving water distribution The meeting point, a central point of orientation with the republican monument as state symbol The Forum, the empty platform of a removed monument The Station, main public transport intersection zone Building trust: A process The initiation of an international design competition is the first big step the municipality took to meet the public demand of more qualitative and transparent planning processes. The conception of a participation framework generating feedback all along the design process is key to overcome topdown design implementations and create trust and cohesion in society. Furthermore, the inclusion of collective intelligence can help make the projects more precise, pleasurable and long-living, and build a sense of shared responsibility for the public good. The complexity of this task needs coordinated multidisciplinary work. As a specialist of spacial organisation and coordination, the architect plays a key role as mediator between the fields of landscape design, urban sociology, art and curatorial practice. This team of experts prepare suggestions that are then put to test in the evaluation of public opinion and subjected to input from public workshops. Parallel to the development of building interventions, a framework to facilitate the programming of spaces is developed. +1: the public archive Istanbul is yours is an ambitious project addressing not only Taksim but further public spaces in the city. The experiences gained in the project for Taksim should be made accessible for future projects, in order for them to learn from the successes and failures of this case study. Therefore it is necessary to pay great attention to the documentation of all stages of the project, starting with the competition, the participation process, the implementation and including the maintenance work and programming that will follow. The public archive acts as a container gathering and displaying this information in a transparant way and opening an environment for public debate. By using an existing building on site that is already state-owned and functioning as a gallery, the archive is created in a sustainable and simple way that avoids the temptation of yet another representative state building on the square. If set up right at the beginning of the process, it can play a central role in the participation process and establish itself as a contact zone between municipality and citizen, communicating their new relation of caring and daring.

Maksem Gallery as public archive of Taksim

Maksem Archive as rescource for Istanbul 04

THE GARDEN

THE FOUNTAIN THE SLOPE

THE AVENUE

THE HEART

THE FORUM

THE STATION

THE BALCONY

THE SQUARE THE MEETING POINT

THE GATE

THE QUIET EDGE

SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS LEGEND OF SYMBOLES

slow movement, strolling, exploring, non linearity

programmable space, time dimension, event character

vegetation, trees, shade

water element, refreshment

formal composition, geometry, aesthetics, intense designing

topography

overview, viewpoint, undistrupted viewlines

historic, cultural or symbolic value and significance, educational quality

gathering area, feeling of community

multiple levels

hard surfaces

linear space

soft surfaces, grassy ground

high frequentation, crossroads, busy area

enclosed space, bay

Presence of institutions, Info point

landmark, point of orientation

transition space

THE SQUARE

Witness of many history-making gatherings and mass events over the last 60 years, the square is undoubtably of strong political character and symbolically inscribed in the collective memory of turkish people. It is crucial to free this major open space of elements that disturb the movement of people on the square, like decorative surfaces and barriers of all kind. No permanent construction is necessary, as the square lives in temporality, finds its meaning in actions, is structured by user choreography.

“I like how they do open air operas now. Its free and always full of people. I might even regret once the building is completed and they move back inside...”