2.7. Gezi Park 2.8. Taksim Garden 2.9. Taksim Square

Doing this, we are proposing to reduce levels of harmful gases and dust in the surrounding area. Bioswales plants will absorb pollution and chemicals, and will filter the rain water. Moreover, these corridors connecting Gezi Park to other green patches will create unified green space feeling for the pedestrians and cyclists.

Important axis on the south of the square, such as Istiklal Street and Kazancı Hill, has connected to the Gezi Park, Cumhuriyet Park and Maçka Park with a green urban spine starting from Taksim Square. This green corridor will unify the different sized green patches with cycles routes and pedestrian access and will create 24-hour live urban open spaces that will be part of urban citizens daily routine. The main entrance to this green corridor is Taksim Square and it will allow access from Cumhuriyet Street and Mete Street. The projected green corridors on the South-West and North-West of the square will improve the connectivity with the Golden Horn.

Landscape design refers to original plans of Gezi Park and include permeable hard surfaces that will allow and support social interaction and public involvement. It was aimed to fulfill space requirements for public events such as workshops, exhibitions, fairs, and sports activities, placing temporary light structures on these permeable hard surfaces. Green spine continues with Taksim Garden, where organic form is also kept. New alley that will create blossom every spring has created in the beginning of the Cumhuriyet Park. This alley alone will be an attraction point. Istanbul has a very rich flora and home to more than 2500 plant species. The rest of the park was designed to have a variety of local and endemic species growing throughout the year and creature towers have been placed. The creature towers are an ecological art works that consist of different materials and different size gaps between materials. These features of the artwork will attract bird and creatures to the area and green urban spine will support this with improving connectivity. Nevertheless, use of local and endemic species as well as attracted wildlife aimed to increase biodiversity.

2.8. Taksim Garden

The Taksim Garden, Gezi Park and Taksim Squarehave been carefully regarded in terms of their original plans and architectural characters. The square reclaims its greenery, trees and seatings as well as a dry spring fountain water feature in front of the AKM were incorporated into our suggestions.

The Taksim Garden has been reorganized in reference to its original, organic lines and the Elmadağ entrance door reopened. Care has been taken to not interfere with any existing, mature trees. An original playground has been integrated into the garden.

Currently, access to the park from Elmadağ and Asker Ocağı Str is very limited and uninviting. As we suggested to cancel the tunnel, the closed Corner entrance to Taksim Garden has been reactivated. Access has been made easier and more attractive by connecting it with Asker Ocağı Str, along stairs, by a wide green ramp.

Starting from Taksim Garden, the Culture, Art and Sports Valley will be strengthened with the functions of Recreational Outdoor Activities - A Scate Park, Fitness trail etc, which have been newly included in the design. Stopping points will be created for collective public artwork. Furthermore, Taksim Square and Gezi Park will be connected to Harbiye via a new, green bridge, reviving the Green Valley. In the Prost plan exists the idea of connecting Taksim Square and Gezi Park to the Culture Valley with a pedestri an bridge over the Taksim Garden, thereby ensuring the continuity of the Green belt extending from Taksim, Harbiye and Maçka Park to Dolmabahçe. Unfortunately, the original bridge was destroyed. Although the new bridge was designed with the idea of a green bridge in mind, it is problematic due to the slightly high slope of the ramp. A new bridge has been proposed to give the impression that Gezi Park is a continuation of the green corridor by establishing a strong connection with a wider, suitably inclined green bridge. Office and service areas for park maintenance and management are located on both sides of the proposed new bridge.

Any factors preventing passage, pedestrian and bicycle transport, visual and access continuity such as transformers, sheds, huts, walls, etc. will be removed. Furthermore, a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting to Maçka Park is also among our suggestions as an alternative. No vehicles will be allowed to enter Gezi Park nor the garden; these areas will also not be used for parking.

2.9. Taksim Square

Taksim Square,although pedestrianized, is not alive. People use the area not to stay, but to pass by. The monotonous hard surface, conceptless landscaping, lack of accessible public spaces through ground level and the lack of an architectural definition all contribute to its unsatisfactory appearance. A square is defined by the architectural strength of its surroundings, welcomeness, and the atmosphere of a porous public space providing a variety of attractions. Gezi Park, as the most decisive architectural element defining the square, is a public space, but its monumental stairs and ramps leave it insufficient to define the square architecturally. The same is true for the park’s relationship with Cumhuriyet Blvd. Following the demolition of the shops that ran along it, ground level differences further weakened the relationship between the park and street.

In addition to being a public green space and open platform, Gezi Park has the potential to positively impact Taksim through its interfaces with the Square and Cumhuriyet Blvd., Taksim Garden and Mete Str. Since our project is mainly aimed at uncovering and employing current potential, existing platforms and ground level differences have been evaluated and based on them new indoor, outdoor and underground spaces have been designed.

The only above-ground architectural and symbolic element added to the square is an appealing urban canopy. To increase the sense of space at the interface between the Park and the square, we have proposed a colonnade of triangular prisms, mirror finished stainless steel columns aligned so as not to obstruct the view of the park from the square, nor the square from the park. The colonnade layers contribute to the architectural and spatial definition of the square while constituting the urban canopy’s bearing structure at the front of the platform. The prismatic and reflective surfaces facing different directions create a constantly changing, dynamic and atmospheric moire-like surface effect. The multicolored canopy placed upon the colonnade like a carpet and covered with light structured, transparent ETFE material, turn both the square and the Gezi platform into a stage: an inviting, inclusive, multicolored, open and symbolic scene.