ABOUT THE PROJECT URBAN INTEGRITY AND SENSE OF PLACE Istanbul is a metropolitan city transforming rapidly in terms of economic, social, cultural and physical fields: these rapid changes fragment the continuity of heritage accumulated in historical layers and can create a social confliction. Taksim Square has a multi-layered structure in socioeconomic terms due to its proximity to different residential, commercial, cultural and educational districts. The surrounding neighborhoods Tarlabaşı, Osmanbey, Nişantaşı, Teşvikiye, Beşiktaş, Kabataş, Tophane, Cihangir, Şişhane, to name a few, have their own roles in the urban pattern, each have strong characteristics and maintain a sense of belonging within the Taksim area. However, in recent years, Taksim Square, which has maintained its importance especially since the Early Republican Period, is in a danger of losing its place in urban memory due to social fractures that interrupt the historical continuity. This is partly the result of the closure of the Ataturk Cultural Center, which has held a significant place in the memory of the cities’ inhabitants as a common meeting place, the character of the Republic Monument that has become less defined with the Taksim pedestrianization project, and the social activities that have been systematically removed from the area. A reflection of this can be seen as the diversity of user profiles has decreased in Taksim Square and Istiklal Street, which connects the Square to Galata and from there to Karakoy, Tophane and to Historical Peninsula. It is now clear that the cities’ inhabitants no longer feel that they are a part of Taksim. They felt estranged. A SHAPE FOR TAKSIM SQUARE As of today, despite its symbolic meaning, Taksim Square is a space lacking a defined form and character, being surrounded by individual elements that do not communicate with one another. Hence, the project proposes a framework of actions, introducing some simple features that can completely transform the area of interest by creating a cohesive dimension for the square. THE EMBELLISHED “CARPET” A new embellished pavement delineates the rectangular section between the Republic Monument and the Atatürk Cultural Center. Adding shape to the existing area, the new flooring enhances the value of this exceptional public space. A common ground, plain and clear, without obstacles, for democratic and social relationships. THE NEW PROMENADE A slender colonnade supports an elevated linear promenade that creates a pivotal connecting element between Taksim Square and the adjacent Gezi Park. The promenade represents an iconic element for the location, commencing at the fringe of the park and then further extending to delineate the Northern side of the square. The promenade is an elegant component of the square, enabling the view of the newly embellished pavement, as well as of the recently restored park. THE ROW OF TREES The façade of Taksim Square opposite to Gezi Park is currently characterized by uneven buildings of low architectural quality. A new row of trees gives order to the location, by restoring the appearance of the Southern side of the square. THE CITY FROM ABOVE The Eastern end of the new promenade elevates into a panoramic tower, an open parallelepiped structure 40 meters high. Designed to be an effortless landmark building in the square, the main value of
the tower is its elevated terraces, each level offering visitors extraordinary views of the city culminating with a view of the Bosphorus. Consequently, it is a landscape tower, for it allows the appreciation of the surrounding landscape given its unique location, as it overlooks the buildings of the city to unveil the scenery of the Bosporus strait providing a new orientation and perspective. The ensemble of promenade, terraces and tower will create new exceptional sights of Taksim Square and the surrounding city, without visually obstructing the main facade of the adjacent Atatürk Cultural Center, but rather enhancing its presence. The aim is to give to all citizen the opportunity to admire their city from a unique point of view, visitors and tourists will experience being part of the city from its beating heart. THE COLONNADE The promenade rests on slender metal pillars that are radially arranged to reference and enhance the presence of the nearby Republic Monument, thus emphasizing its symbolic and historical value. The colonnade then expands towards the historic staircase of Gezi Park and Cumhuriyet Caddesi, lengthening of the park. ENHANCING THE HISTORY OF THE LOCATION The memory of the building that once occupied the square in the nineteenth century is suggested in the form of the new pavement near the Republic Monument, where the perimeter of the embellished flooring curves to accompany the circular space of the historical flowerbeds delineating the footprint of the nineteenth century structure. Moreover, the abundant historical iconography of the monument enables the philological restoration of the flowerbeds through the reintroduction of the original vegetation, as it was in the original design by Guilio Mongeri: topiaries with an edge of small trees. Gezi Park will also be restored by eliminating all the incongruous elements, such as bus parking, and respecting the original vegetation choices: adding trees where the design has been lost, cutting trees that are in poor condition and replacing them with species suitable for climate, exposure and coherence within the existing vegetation. EXPANSION OF GEZI PARK AND NEW FUNCTIONS The restoration of Gezi Park focuses on the central historical space and aims at maintaining the present design. Additionally, the park is also expanded with the incorporation of part of Cumhuriyet Caddesi. This extension reshapes the relationship between the park and the city, by introducing new accesses to the park without any architectural barrier. Indeed, three wide flat cuts pave the way from Cumhuriyet Caddesi to Gezi Park, thus making the green area accessible to all by creating a unicum among the park, the walking paths, and square. Between the various accesses to the park, a sequence of small single-store buildings are destined to cafes, bookshops, ateliers, and other attractive functions, to transform Cumhuriyet Caddesi from a transit space to an attractive and valuable location for seasonal usage, special events, day and night use, and various alternative scenarios. WATER On the opposite side from the Atatürk Cultural Center, the historic aqueduct delineates one of the short sides of the square. In continuity with the aqueduct building, the project inserts a body of water to further embellish and enrich the location, a horizontal plane of water with jets of different heights and intensities.
N1T8F9A7 ART Art can introduce a unique illuminated nightscape bringing light to the public space: works of art made with light tubes and site specific installations bring a living atmosphere also by night. Intended to be the catalyst for a cultural strategy to bring art closer to people. Possible placements could be in the park expansion as well as in the park itself. The facade of the tower could also be itself a place for installations and temporary exhibitions and cultural communication. The steel facade will be used to display the cultural richness of Istanbul. SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY Currently, the unregulated transport services, informal bus parking, the police station occupying the main entry point to the park from the square, vehicular traffic on the Mete Cd. on the east side of Gezi park and the height difference between the Gezi park and its surrounding streets negatively affected the quality of public realm from the accessibility point of view. The lack of access ramps for people with low mobility has reduced the permeability of the area. The project aims to increase accessibility through two main actions: introducing two ramps for easy access to the park and providing lift access points, one lift from the square to the park and two lifts to reach the top of the tower. MOBILITY STRATEGY The current mobility proposal includes prioritizing pedestrian access to the square and park from the surrounding neighborhoods by revising the vehicular flow on Mete Cd. and Tak-ı Zafer Cd., removing on-street parking and dedicating specific drop-off and taxi stations. This allows the activation of the building fronts, stitching the entire urban fabric together, and facilitating fluid pedestrian and cycling access towards the square from important nearby landmarks such as the university and Ataturk historic library; improving the quality and permeability of the public realm. In addition, the proposal suggests the most convenient routes for implementing cycling facilities, especially in the one way streets, and suitable locations for bike sharing points and bike parking. It is also recommended to relocate the police station in a new place behind the mosque with easy vehicular access from the primary road of Tarlabaşı BLVD. freeing the Gezi park area from vehicular traffic except for the park maintenance. The access point to the metro and underground bus hub is improved and integrated in the proposal, which will encourage more use of public transport and easier navigation and way finding for tourists and visitors to the area. LIGHTING ATMOSPHERE The lighting design reveals the identity of the space during the night and creates visual hierarchy in Taksim. It gives the emphasis to the main architectural features, putting others in the background. Ataturk Cultural Center, the Republic Monument and Maksem are the main landmarks of the night: a sort of storytelling with illumination. As an additional architectural feature for the square, the promenade and the tower have a subtle yet bold lighting design to link the history with the future. The precious marble of the embellished carpet inserts are gently backlit to make the carpet shine at night, recalling the unique colors of sunset in Istanbul. Existing lighting would be replaced by designs sympathetic to the characteristics of the area. While safety and security for the user is paramount, a lighting control system is proposed to optimize energy use, creating energy savings and eliminating light pollution. Instead of using standardized luminaires for such a special area, the project proposes customdesigned light poles.
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ORGANIZATION CHART
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ROLES WITHIN THE TEAM
◉ Team leader member ■ JV member ▶ Consultant in stage 1 ▷ Consultant to be added
◉ urban planner ◉ ■ architect for stage 2
MASTERPLAN
◉ archeologist
■ transport engineer
◉ landscape architect
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
◉ architect ◉ ecologist ◉ geologist
A COLLECTIVE VISION APPROACH FOR A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM Team work is essential in achieving a convincing proposal. In today’s global arena, individual perfection is not as desirable as a high level collective performance. In our submission, we consider that teams are the norm rather than exception.
◉ ■ architects ◉ conservation arch.
ARCHITECTURE
◉ ■ structural eng. ◉ ▷ MEP engineer
■ lighting designer
A critical feature of the team built is to create a significant degree of empowerment towards a collective vision, build upon ethical projects.
▶ artist
ART
▷ media manager
▷ event planner
▶ social economist
CULTURE and ECONOMICS
▷ antropologist
▷ sociologist
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URBAN INTEGRITY
URBAN SYSTEM MAP
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NEW TAKSIM FROM ABOVE
PERSPECTIVE PLAN OF TAKSIM SQUARE
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SPATIAL CONCEPT
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PANORAMIC VIEW POINT
EXPANSION OF THE PARK
PERMEABLE EDGE/ FACADE OF THE SQUARE/ RAISED PROMENADE
EXISTING URBAN TRANSPORT ACCESS INTEGRATED INTO PROJECT
EMBELLISHED “CARPET” FOR THE SQUARE
THE SQUARE DESIGN
EMBELLISHED “CARPET” PROJECTION
MODELLING THE TERRAIN
REFINING THE SHAPE
THE PARK EXPANSION
EXPANDING THE PARK
INSERTING NEW FUNCTIONS
IMPLEMENTING ACCESSIBILITY
CREATING A MIRADOR OF RAISED TERRACESS
ELEVATED AND DEMOCRATIC VIEWING POINT A VIEW FOR ALL
THE EDGE AND THE TOWER
NEW ELEVATED EDGE EACH PAIR OF COLOUMS ALIGN WITH THE MONUMENT CREATING A DIALOGUE AND REINFORCING THE FOCAL POINT
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THE SQUARE DESIGN
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VIEW OF THE SQUARE
PUBLIC SQUARE - EVENT SPACE
ELEVATED SQUARE
THE EMBELLISHED “CARPET”
RESTAURANT INTEGRATED WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE
FUNCTIONS OF THE SCHEME
URBAN TRANSPORT ACCESS AND FLEXIBLE SPACE
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THE PARK EXPANSION
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VIEW OF THE PARK EXPANSION
UNIVERSAL ACCESS RAMPS
INHABITED STEPS
CONTINUOUS WATER FEATURE WITH ADJACENT FUNCTIONS FUNCTIONS OF THE SCHEME
COMMERCIAL SPACES INTEGRATED WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE
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THE EDGE AND THE TOWER
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VIEW OF THE ELEVATED PROMENADE AND THE TOWER
VIEWING TERRACE AND THE PINBOARD OF THE CITY CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC ELEVATORS ACCESSING PUBLIC VIEWING TERRACE
URBAN TRANSPORT ACCESS AND IMPROVED PARK ACCESS
ACCESS TO THE PROMENADE CROSSING WATER
ı
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROMENADE, THE TOWER AND THE PARK
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THE PROJECTED PANORAMA
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+123.00 +109.00 +76.00
±00.00 LANDSCAPE SECTION
P L E N
THE PROJECTED PANORAMA FROM THE TOWER PROVIDING ORIENTATION AND PROSPECTIVE
PANORAM IC V IEWS
BOSP HOR US
L IL
LOTI RE
P I ER GALA TA TO WER THE PROJECTED PANORAMA FROM THE TOWER
AN AT O AN SIDE LI
H
BRIDGES S U R HO BOSP
CAL I R O T S HI
LA U S N PENI
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GREEN SYSTEM AND RESTORATION
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SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY CURRENT SITUATION
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PROJECT +50% INCREASE OF ENTRANCE SPACE
LEGEND AXIALITY Interrupted central axis Recovering the central axix without interruptions New transversal axis
60m ACCESSIBILITY with ramps: without architectural barriers Existing access
60m
New access
250m
Itineraris without architectural barriers Central area on the same level
with elevators: without architectural barriers
80m
New access with stairs Existing access New access
80m
Ramps with naturlal flooring New access to the Park
SAFE AND SECURE SPACES
Safe area without boundaries Way out
Elevator max capacity: 2 x 55 persons each Terrace max capacity: 200 persons each level Scale max flow: 396 persons
INCREASE PERMEABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY CURRENT SITUATION
INCREASE CONNECTIONS CREATE ORDER
RESULTING PROJECT
BROKEN PATHS ABSENCE OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PATHS LEVELS ABSENCE OF CLEAR DIRECTION FLOWERBED DISORDER
NEW CLEAR PATH REMOVAL OF PART OF FLOWERBEDS THAT CREATES DISORDER NEW REGULAR FLOWERBEDS COHERENT WITH THE GEOMETRIC DESIGN CONCEPT
CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN PATHS CLEAR PERMEABILITY OF SPACE NEW PERCEPTION OF MOBILITY
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MOBILITY STRATEGY
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MOBILITY STRATEGY PROPOSAL
CURRENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK 40 KM NEW ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
ESENLER BUS TERMINAL
SIRKECI RAILWAY STATION
TAKSIM
Marmaray Metro Tram
HAYDARPASA TRAIN STATION
Metrobus Funicular Water transport
Ferry stations Main railway Main interchange hub Main bus terminal
ACTUAL MODAL SHARE IN ISTANBUL Inhabitants and visitors modal share (2017)
Public transport daily boarding among modes (2017)
public transport
service bus
private car
walking
surface transport rail sea transport
CRITICAL ISSUES WITHIN THE CONTEXT PHYSICAL BARRIER Pedestrian area Main Pedestrian gateways
HEIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE SQUARE
One way streets with active frontage
Major pedestrian gateway and access to
Dolmus station/drop-off
underground multimodal transport hub
Taxi station/drop-off
More convenient routes for cycling lane
Tourist bus station/drop-off
Less convenient routes for cycling lane
Vehicular access to the park for maintenance
Bike station and parking
Police station
Mobility services drop-off and station
PROPOSED OPTION FOR RE-DESIGNING METE CD. & TAK-I ZAFER CD. (IN FRONT OF CULTURAL CENTER) current situation
Low permeability and vertical interruption with Gezi park Physical barrier
Access points difference
with
proposed option
10331 VEHICLES 1550 IN PEAK HOUR*
height
3422 VEHICLES (-5874 VEH)*
9296 VEHICLES 1394 IN PEAK HOUR*
+ 9296 VEHICLES*
1035 VEHICLES (- 9296 VEH)*
PHYSICAL BARRIER
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC PRESSURE
Public realm surrounded by a car - oriented infrastructure Physical barrier
Current vehicular traffic
Revised vehicular flow Possible routes for re-directing the vehicular flow
Vehicular traffic pressure affects the permeability of the public realm for pedestrians
Improving pedestrian connectivity & access to cultural center
* 15% of total daily traffic estimation of peak hour traffic
Most of taxis are taking this route to go towards Asian side and other desitinations
is
used
for
the
COMPARISON OF OPTIONS FOR RE-ROUTING NOSTALGIC TRAM
Vehicular pressure
INFORMAL BUS SERVICES AND PARKING OCCUPYING THE PUBLIC REALM
Lack of adequate space for drop-off zone and taxi stands Current drop-off points P Informal bus parking
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LIGHTING
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NIGHT VIEW OF THE PARK EXPANSION THE EMBELLISHED “CARPET”
THE PRECIOUS MARBLE OF THE EMBELLISHED CARPET INSERTS ARE GENTLY BACKLIT AND MAKE THE CARPET SHINE AT NIGHT, RECALLING THE UNIQUE COLORS OF SUNSET IN ISTANBUL.
TAKISM NIGHT MAP
THE PROMENADE
THE LIGHTING DESIGN OF THE PROMENADE, AN ARTISTIC MONUMENT ITSELF, IS INTEGRATED WHITIN THE ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTS. PERFORATED COLUMNS WORK AS LIGHTING POLES HIGHLIGHTING THE HORIZONTAL SURFACES OF THE ENTRANCES TO THE PARK, PROVIDING PROPER LIGHT IN AN AESTHETIC WAY.
THE ART
ART CAN INTRODUCE A UNIQUE ILLUMINATED NIGHTSCAPE BRINGING LIGHT TO THE PUBLIC SPACE: WORKS OF ART MADE WITH LIGHT TUBES AND SITE SPECIFIC INSTALLATIONS BRING A LIVING ATMOSPHERE ALSO BY NIGHT
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MATERIALS
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TERRAZZO FLOORING WITH MARBLE INSERTS
ART WITH LIGHT
WATER AND REFLECTION
TREES AND SHRUBS
EMBELLISHED CARPET WITH BACKLIT MARBLE ELEMENTS
PAINTED STEEL STRUCTURE
MATERIALS CONCEPTUAL COLLAGE
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PROJECT PERCENTAGES 5
4
3 5
4
CURRENT SITUATION
1
1
3
2 PROJECT
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2
3
4
5
50%
0%
44%
0,5%
5,5%
UNDEFINED PEDESTRAIN SPACE
DESIGNED PEDESTRAIN SPACE
GREEN SPACE
WATER FEATURE
VEHICULAR SPACE
10%
21%
2%
4%
63%
PROJECTED
CURRENT SITUATION
IMPROVEMENT OF PROJECT
+9600
1000smq
COMMERCIAL - FOOD AND BEVERAGE - AND COLLECTIVE SERVICE IN TAKSIM SQUARE
sqm
GREEN SYSTEM
+800
sqm
+475
sqm
WATER SURFACE
COMMERCIAL SPACES ON THE BOULEVARD
+40%
+7300
sqm
EMBELLISHED CARPET
SHADED SPACE
100%
LIGHT COLOURED PEDESTRIAN SURFACE WITH HIGH SOLAR REFLECTIVE INDEX
+150 TREES
A SPACE FOR ALL, AN EDGE FOR SITTING, A PARK FOR SHARING, A TOWER FOR LOOKING
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