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TRAUMA AND REGENERATION IN URBAN MEMORY: TAKSÄ°M

Removing the Dust of Time in Taksim

Today, the traumatic experience on account of the fact of the demolished buildings have become more visible while revealing the issues of urban disidentification.

These issues involve such traumas related to the memory that will be called as “memory trauma” in this project, and the effects of memory traumas on people could be explicitly observed. The primary aim of this project is to initiate a regeneration process on Taksim Square and its vicinity, which finds itself in a urban memory trauma. The Taksim Square has been the scene of many traumatic social events in the past. Thus, the aim of this project is to use design as a tool to regain the palimpsest character of the square.

‘Palimpsest’ refers to Ancient Times when paper was scarce, a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been erased to make room for a later writing. In fact, palimpsest refers to a superimposed experience on effaced earlier writing which the traces of the previous experience remain.

Since this is an open-ended process, this project proposes urban interventions while using design as a tool, to trigger a similar process to palimpsest.

With the regeneration, the city will not only add a democratic and open urban stage, but also add the project area’s and vicinity’s richness of urban memory to the city experience.

TAKSIM SQUARE

MAIN PROBLEMS

PROPOSALS

Trauma arising from urban discontinuity, destruction and obliviousness

Evocation spaces and practices to regenerate the urban memory of the square

Social traumas and oblivion

Confrontation spaces and practices to reconcile with social traumas

Trauma in Urban and Social Memory

The trauma stems from the repetitive interruption of the urban memory woven around the project area over the century. Exposing the area to demolition and transformation for several times lead to a condition of oblivion /void. This void not only manifests itself in the physical environment but also develops in the urbanite’s minds.

The oblivion cannot simply be captured with an image displaying the disappearance of a museum catalogue’s parts. Memories are much more intertwined with real life: The past and the present do not denote two successive moments, but two concepts which coexist, and they simultaneously constitute the life.

At that rate it can be said that the trauma will not only apply to the memory but also to the life.

This urban area has faced a number of crisis causing this trauma due to authoritarian interventions by those in power, and representations of their speeches for centuries. Considering this conflictual situation along with the need of shaping and controlling the public space by those in power, there is clear evidence that Taksim and vicinity are becoming poorer areas.

Urban Memory Nostalgia Power

Trauma Demolition

Evocation Practices Failure to Embrace the Space Oblivion Evocation Places Dedifferentiation SUGGESTIONS

Impoverishment

PROBLEMS

Schema 2: Network of notions. Problems and suggestions.

Taksim square is a junction point of social and urban memory disruption, scattering and traumatization. Within this scope, our project aims to enhance evocation and confirmations practices about this traumatic process. In order to initiate the regeneration of the urban memory, the project area should be reopened to the variety of the historical/ cultural layers and re-arranged to invite city residents to reflect on their city’s past.

This project will be looking at loosing the richness and diversity which Taksim square and vicinity are facing now. This situation will be envisaged with the “veiling” notion. How can one overcome this“veiling”? In this context we aim to design a palimpsest public space proposal to bring historical layers and sediments into view.

Our project’s primary suggestion is to establish a cooperative to follow up and support this process, as the regeneration of the urban and social memory of the project will take years.

ü olarak çalışabilir. Bu enstitü gerek basılı, gerek dijital belgeleme süreçleri için çalışabilir. Ancak bu This cooperative can be designed asnasıl an officedönüştüğünün and indoor exhibition space in Taksim or may function a university institute, which can work foryönlendirilm both printed anı’nın ilerleyen yıllarda takip edilmesi veasrejenerasyon sürecinin and digital documentation processes.

The following important suggestion of the project is to process the traces which have been lost throughout its urban adventure. These traces send urbanites on a journey through the city’s history, we do not aim to reproduce the missing structures.

We should think of urban memory not as a history book, but rather as a call and a type of imagination. We hope and aim to lead the city’s residents who encounter these to dream and search the city’s history.

Based upon this approach, the traces to be processed to the project area will be complemented by urban amenities such as green areas, activity areas, canopy and aesthetic amenities enhancing the remembrance process.

nemli önerisi, Meydan’a kentsel serüveni boyunca kaybetmiş olduğu izlerin işlenmesidir. Bu izle yolculuğa sürükler. Burada kaybedilmiş yapıların reprodüksiyonlarının üretilmesi hedeflenmiyor. K ğrı ve hayalgücünün bir türü gibi düşünmeliyiz. Meydana işlenecek yapısal izlerin, bunlarla karşılaş The emphasis of time will be strengthened by designing these elements with weathered steel corten and recyclable materials in order to regain the palimpsest a ve kentin tarihçesini araştırmaya göndereceği umulmaktadır. features of Taksim.

Furthermore, these urban and architectural elements will be designed to evolve into a metaphor of demolition and transformation with the plastic effect and give reference to the movement of time/ history.

Since investigating the regions’ historical layers is an open-ended process, it should be sustained by the cooperative and relevant research institutes, and those who can contribute to the process should be invited.

Within this scope we aim to maintain the continuity of the stratification process by placing the research process products to various pavilions, urban infrastructure and units in Taksim and even being offered as new urban traces.

la birlikte açılıyorsa (vice versa); mekanın tarihsel katmanlarına referans vermek; mekanı tarihsel o nlaştırmak ve zenginleştirmek manasına gelir. Bu katmanlaştırma işi, mevcut topografyanın katlan yinin arttırılması imgesiyle düşünülebilir. Kübist tablolarda zamanın dördüncü bir boyut olarak tem the katmanlarda space opens with time ve (vice bu versa), referencing to the space’s historical layers means to superpose the place with its own historical nature, to stratify rının Ifand bu katmanlar aracılığı kamusal – toplumsal bir tarihçede kurucu ve aktör o enrich the urban area. Here, the stratification can be imagined with an image of extending the existing topography by folding and increasing its surface.

Like the time, as the fourth dimension, merges with the contemplation in cubist paintings, the users of public space are aimed to be the founders and actors in the layers and in the public-social history through these layers.

Historical Layers

Traces

Research: following the traces

Stratification by convergence

Schema 3: Researching the historical - urban layers and bringing them to urban memory

The third important suggestions of our project is the planning of remembrance venues that will reference the social crisis which took place in the project area, Taksim square has witnessed many historical events, which caused social historical wounds (Riots Od 6-7 September (1955), Bloody Sunday (1969), Bloody May 1 (1977), Gezi Protest (2013) these wounds shaped another important traumatic context. Within the range of our project, we propose to develop remembrance places related to some of the events.

These places of remembrance may be direct elements such as art installation or references to trauma through landscape and urban design.

These spaces add an ethical dimension to the history and draw the city residents into discussions and thoughts on the future. We aim to evoke empathy for common sufferings and go beyond the usual monumental paradigm.

Şekil 4: Tarihsel – kentsel katmanların araştırılması ve kentsel hafızaya kazandırılması.

önemli önerisi, Meydan’ın sahne olduğu toplumsal krizlere referans verecek yüzleşme mekanla anıt, sergi alanı gibi doğrudan ögeler olabileceği gibi, peyzaj ve kentsel tasarım ile travmalara++ ref lar, tarihe etik bir boyut katar ve kentlileri gelecek ile ilgili tartışmaların ve düşünümlerin içerisine

Taksim Bellek Kooperatifi

Kentsel izlerin Meydan'a Schema 4: işlenmesi Civil unrests and Taksim

Toplumsal travmalar ile yüzleşilmesi için hatırlama mekanları

The fourth important suggestion of our project is to turn the project area, particularly the square, into a social forum against the above-mentioned impoverishing policies.

We aim to make the square a place to go and spend time, not only a shopping or touristic destination. We propose a modular and modern urban infrastructure which can host different scaled events, personal activities like recreation, mid-sizebelleğin events like forums, exhibitions, meetings or mini concerts, or bigger crowd Kentsel Bellek Toplumsal travmalar ile attracting events rejenerasyonunun like meetings and comprehensive open-air exhibitions.

rejenerasyonunun sağlanması sürekliliğinin sağlanması ve yüzleşme pratiklerinin ve tarihsel birsocial hayalgücünün We intend to provide a point of resistance against the regulation of public and spaces with authoritarian purposes. arşiv çalışması. sağlanması.

At the same time this suggestion will be followed in the context of providing urban scaled solutions to some of the issues related to the square. çağırılması.

The large areas of the square and the chaotic effect caused by the uncertainty of these large areas, the lack of places to wait and spend time, the lack of places in which small, medium and large groups spend time together, or the lack of art related and cultural activities despite the potential, or inaccessibility of these events.

Şekil 5: Öneriler.

The fifth important topic of our project is the design in line with contemporary sustainability principles. Instead of partial and poor suggestions, such as the LEED certification system or green roofs, the world ecology should urgently be reconsidered starting with the most important square as the world is getting closer and closer to a disaster with the climate crisis.

Within the span of our project, we decided to transform Taksim with minimal intervention in order to reflect a contemporary and internally consistent sustainability approach. The elements used on the grounds, in tree pots, seating elements or pools in the current design are both economically and ecologically costly, therefore they will be either partially or fully protected. These elements will be integrated with the existing infrastructure to be revived by extensions and interventions.

Fountains and ornamental pools will be redesigned as a part of environmental sustainability approach in order to turn them into aquatic ecosystems through micro algae cultivation. They will be will be helping air quality of Taksim Square by CO2 uptake and O2 production whilst helping water treatment and being used as irrigation water supply. So that, the square will be acting like a breathing/living organism which can self sustain in the heart of the city. To rehabilitate the general vegetation of the area for ecological purposes, at least to replace plants that do not require special irrigation.

Additionally, all of the infrastructure and superstructure elements will be outsourced from recyclable materials. Our core material palette will be comprised of weathered steel corten, recycled metals, rammed earth, recycled glass and textile products.

With these features we aim to reduce the carbon and water footprint of Taksim Square and enhance the regenerative development of the city.

Taksim Memory Cooperative

Processing the missing urban traces to the square

Evocation places to face social traumas

The square as a living and democratic public space

Sustainable and ecologically sensitive square

Schema 5: Suggestions

We anticipate that our project will heal the urban ecosystem and life in addition to the urban and social memories that are traumatized and sinking into oblivion due to the demolitions as the trauma can be regarded as a mental wound. In this case, the wound healing reveals as the main target of our project.

The approach, the actor of the above-mentioned veiling process, is authoritarian in two ways. Firstly, it causes the context and inner dynamics of Taksim and its surroundings to be ignored and results in the impoverishment. Secondly, the impoverished public space and urban environment support standardization instead of differentiation, verticality instead of horizontality. In this regard, this process also implies the prevention of the democratic establishment and sharing of the urban area.

The re-planning of Taksim square means creating a public stage/base which will be a platform for urbanites gatherings and sharing.

This stage is aimed to be sensitive to both urban and social memory, be horizontal, re-organizable, user-friendly and open to the public, as well as being sensitive to ecological elements such as nature and other living things.

In conclusion this project aims to regenerate the urban memory by unveiling the historical layers in Taksim Square, where it has been traumatized and sinked in oblivion. Also, the project highlights the remembrance of the places while being a solution to the physical urban-scaled problems, which will provide a healing ground for such social traumas. With the start of this process, the square will regain its palimpsest quality.

By achieving these goals, we strongly believe that the city of Istanbul will attain a horizontal/ democratic public space and a new public model.

URBAN ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ROAD VEHICULAR TUNNEL METRO ENTRANCE TRAM

URBAN GREEN : EXISTING AND PROPOSED EXISTING URBAN GREEN PROPOSED URBAN GREEN

MEMORY : EXISTING AND PROPOSED LISTED MONUMENTAL BUILDINGS LISTED CIVIL ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS LOST URBAN TRACES

EXISTING BUILDINGS ALL EXISTING BUILDINGS

URBAN WEAKNESS AND THREATS 1. LOST URBAN MEMORY

Exposing the area to demolition and transformation for several times lead to a condition of oblivion /void. This oblivion leads to a trauma which stems from the repetitive interruption of the urban memory wovenaround the project area over the century.

1967-2020

2020

1939-2020

2020

URBAN WEAKNESS AND THREATS 2. DESOLATED SQUARE

With the latest urban design and arrangements, Taksim square was cleaned, emptied and allocated to pedestrians. Although this seems positive at first sight, we determined that wide undefined spaces have an eerie, chaotic and uninvited effect on urbanites.

3. INSUFFICIENT URBAN FURNITURE AND ACTIVITY AREAS Taksim contains a large human flow in need of different activities such as relaxing, doing sports, walking, shopping, etc. These needs may change due to season, time, date and climate. Therefore Taksim square needs an urban furniture and infrastructure that can adapt to different types of activities. However, this is not possible with conventional urban design and furniture paradigms.

ZONING: FUNCTIONS AND SETTLEMENT KRÄ°STAL FLOWER SHOPS

URBAN WATCHING PODIUM

ACTIVITY TUNNEL

ACTIVITY AREA 1/2000 PLAN

BUS-CAFE BUS-MINILIBRARY

ACTIVITY AREA AND FORUM AREA

EXISTING AND PROPOSED TREES

TAKSİM LAYERS AND LOST SPACES Taksim Military Barracks (Demolished with Prost plan.)

Commercial building in square.

(Demolished with Prost plan.)

Until 1939

Republic Monument as a roundabout.

Annexes of the barracks

Kristal Music Hall

Until 1969 Square and landscape organization.

Gezi Park

(Constructed with Prost plan.)

Commercial building next to Maksem.

Municipality Music Hall (Demolished in 1965.)

Atatürk Cultural Center Commercial building group

Until 2012

Square and landscape organization.

Hotel building

Republic Monument as a pedesterian area.

Commercial building group

Mosque

Hotel building

PLANS TAKSİM: AFTER 1960

TAKSİM: UNTIL 1939

TAKSİM: 1990-2014

Gezi Park TAKSIM BARRACKS 1806-1939

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

Building

KRISTAL 1938-1960 Building

Buildings

Maksem

MONUMENT 1928 - .....

SQUARE Buildings demolished in 1939.

Maksem

MONUMENT 1928 - .....

Maksem

ANIT 1928 - .....

Gezi Park

PROPOSAL 1 : TAKSİM AS A PALIMPSEST PUBLIC SPACE Taksim Military Barracks Function: Shading and Urban watching area

Atatürk Street Function: Activity tunnel and green slope

Ancient Water Way (From Maksem to Harbiye ) Function: Aesthetics and water

Street Traces (From Tarlabaşı to Harbiye) Function: Aesthetics and light

Bus Stop Function : Bus-cafe and Bus-library

1939-1960-2014 Landscape Traces Function: Modular activity units / forum

1939-1960-2014 Street traces (From AKM to Monument) Function: Aesthetics and light

Kristal Music Hall Function : Flower shops and shading

PROPOSAL 1a : KRISTAL MUSIC HALL

Kristal Music Hall was one of the important modern architectural examples of Taksim. The music hall started to serve in 1928, country’s famous singers took the stage herel, which started to serve in 1928.

Casino is placed on upper floors and ground floors is to use in shopping activities. The building was demolished in the early 1960s. While the music hall was active, flowers were sold in front of it. In this way inspiration, crystal traces of Taksim famous florists.

PROPOSAL 1b : TAKSIM MILITARY BARRACKS

Taksim Military Barracks is one of the Otooman area heritage. After 1921 the building served as a stadium. The building was demolished in 1940 with the Prost Plan, and replaced with Gezi Park. We propose to erect a building at the corner of Gezi Park, inspired by the barracks and will be used as a watchtower and urban podium.

PROPOSAL 1c : LANDSCAPE TRACES The landscape traces of 1960s remained in Taksim for a long time. We propose to track these traces and used them as a lighting element as well as an urban forum area.

PROPOSAL 1d : STREET TRACES

The Project bring back the traces as memorial elements with lighting and aesthetics purposes.

These entrances can be use for joining activity tunnel and also as a activity space in spacial occasions.

PROPOSAL 1e : BUS STATIONS AND STREET TRACES

After Prost Plan, both sides of stairs used as bus station. After 1939 Prost plan, these stations take place their part in memory of Taksim square.

Through this memory, our proposal includes a bus-cafe and bus-minilibrary which will serve for users of Taksim and square.

PROPOSAL 1f : ATATURK STREET AND ACTIVITY TUNNEL

Green slope was take place in Taksim in 2014. Until today, this area was used by users frequently and this place takes its place in Taksim memory. Considering this situtaion, our proposal will be covering greeen slope and improve it with adding shaders and benchs; also we suggest an activity tunnel beneath this slope.

AtatĂźrk Street is neighbor with Gezi Park and its most crowded border.

In the past, in this border stores, an art gallery and registery office were placed. Today, this area is merge with Gezi Park as a green slope. In our proposal, this green slope is not replaced with a building. But for creating more activity area, beneath this green area, an activity tunnel will be suggested. In this tunnel, various activity areas, stores and workshop areas will take place.

PROPOSAL 2 : MODULAR UNITS SUPPORTING DIFFERENT PUBLIC ACTIVITIES FUNCTION - ADAPTATION MATRIX Hang out

Creative playground

Forum

Sales Units

Mini Stage

Spacification of space

Modular landscape

Outdoor Exhibition

MODULAR UNITS

TIME - ADAPTATION MATRIX Association and Scattering

Density High density settlement - Users comes together.

Medium density settlement - Users are seperate.

Low density settlement - Usage of individuals.

Horizontal Motion

Shutdown In mode of crowded usage, settlement takes minimum area.

Specification

Adaptability Adaptable landscape.

Specification of area by landscape units

Opening - shutdown

Alternative settlement 1

WAY OF TIME

Alternative settlement 1

Shutdown

PROPOSAL 2 : MODULAR UNITS WHICH SUPPORTS DIFFERENT PUBLIC ACTIVITIES

Daily / Regular Minor cube moves Medium Density

Event Term MIN Density Stage with bench box

Seasonal Planting Term MAX Plant Box Manifestation Term MIN Density Agglomerating boxes

Light structure with semipermeable textile

Canopy as a digital artwork’s nish

3x3 Modular Unit as flower shops

Kristal Music Hall Regenerative Reconstruction

PROPOSAL 3 : SOCIAL TRAUMAS AND RECOLLECTION ACTIVITIES - SPACES 1. TREES AS A MEMORIAL OF 1977

Existing Trees Proposed Trees Proposal Monumental Tree Plan

Photos from 1977 Protests

On May 1st, 1977, the Labor Day was celebrated in Taksim Square with approximately 500 thousand people attending the demo, going down in history as the most massive May Day rally in the history of Turkey until date. During the demo, “unidentified assailants” started to fire on the crowd, from the Water Administration building in Taksim Square. 41 demonstrators were killed. Our proposal takes inspiration from this lost, we propose to attach 16 trees, so there will be 41 trees in AKM side of Taksim square.

2. MEMORIAL OF GEZI PROTESTS

In 2013, trees were cut down in Taksim Gezi Park in order to reconstruct the Artillery Barracks of the Ottoman Era. This prompted protests by ecologists, and Taksim Square became the focal point of antigovernment demonstrations, which later spread across the country. Our design takes inspiration from protection of trees by struggle and demo’s of people.

Photos from Gezi Protests

3. MEMORIAL EXAMPLES FROM WORLD

Budapest Jewish Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Washington DC

Memorial for Jewish Deportation at Borgo San Dalmazzo

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

Within the range of our project, we propose to develop remembrance places related to some of the social traumatic events which lived in Taksim. These places of remembrance may be direct elements such as art installation or references to trauma through landscape and urban design. We aim to evoke empathy for commonsufferings and go beyond the usual monumental paradigm.

URBAN LIGHTINING DESING STRATEGY

Main idea is to provide sustainable lighting design solutions for the area.

Lowering energy consumption via lighting control systems. Related to the pedestrian density of the square, light levels could be controlled.

Differentiate the monuments and subzones with light to highlight lanmark feature of the components of the square.

Instead of creating even light effect as it is now, the night atmosphere must focused on to revealing the identity of the square.

Providing safety and security.

URBAN ACCESSIBILITY AND SOCIAL STRATEGIES Our project takes into consideration to accesablity of every citizen and user. For reaching this aim, our procect comes up with reachable, straight urban design solutions and when it is necessary, (especially for disabled or disadventageous people) various assistance technologies will be design.

Within the scope of this cooperative, we plan to place social complexes with “community� refrigerators and wardrobes that offer free food and clothes for those who need it, especially homeless people.

These refrigerators and wardrobes will be filled with food and clothes donated by restaurants, cafes, markets, and grocery stores as well as local people who do not need these items. The social complexes will combat both waste and hunger.

MINIMUM INTERVENTION STRATEGY Within the span of our project, we decided to transform Taksim with minimal intervention in order to reflect a contemporary and internally consistent sustainability approach. The elements used on the grounds, in tree pots, seating elements or pools in the current design are both economically and ecologically costly, therefore they will be either partially or fully protected.

These elements will be integrated with the existing infrastructure to be revived by extensions and interventions.

ATATURK STREET / ACTIVITY TUNNEL

RECYCLED MATERIAL USING STRATEGY Recyclable Materials All of the infrastructure and superstructure elements will be outsourced from recyclable materials. Our core material palette will be comprised of weathered steel corten, recycled metals, rammed earth, recycled glass and textile products.

Courten

Wood

Textile

Metal

REGENERABLE / SUSTAINABLE VEGETATIONS Regenerable / Sustainable Vegetation One of the most important suggestions of our project is the renewable/ sustainable vegetation for existing and proposed green areas. This type of vegetation needs less water and maintenance, thus reduces ecological costs.

With this approach, green space of Gezi Park is rehabilitated. For instance, grass surfaces regenerated with meadows that need less water and maintenance, or sustainable trees as big scaled green elements.

Meadows

TEAM LIST • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Architect - Team leader.

Architect - Architectural Design.

Architect - Architectural Design.

Landscape Architect - Landscape Design.

Urban Planner - Urban design.

Urban Planner (Urban Lightining Specialist), Consultant - Design of sustainable urban lightining system.

Industrial Designer - Design of modular urban furniture .

Sculptor, Designer and consultant - Design and consultancy of urban art installations.

Sociologist, Consultant - Consultancy about space and society relation.

Psychologist (Social Pshychology Specialist), Consultant - Consultancy about social pshycology.

Psychologist (Psychology of Environment Specialist), Consultant - Consultancy about human and space relation.

Waste Management and Sustainable Energy Technologies Specialist, Consultant - Constultancy for waste management and sustainability.

Visual Communication Designer - Creative Director, Consultant - Consultancy for visual communication.

Electric - Electronic Engineer (Software Specialist) - Design of modular urban furniture’s autonomous system.