Skygarden and market place
Site is located in Ayvansaray neighborhood just across Old Galata Bridge, on the Golden Horn shore. If we take a look to the neighborhood we will see deficit of cultural activities even though majority is under 25 and eager for cultural space where they could spend their free time. Site is surrounded by city walls (12th century), two churches (Hagia Dimitris and Balino) and has a view on Golden Horn. On the street that passes next our site the bazaar is being held on Tuesday and Friday. It is important to remember that bazaar doesn’t have only economic significance but also social and cultural. As for the urban pattern, it is characterized by narrow streets, organic layout and visual heterogeneity.
Site
Diagrams and sequence section
Inspiration for project is taken context the site is located in; one is a textile bazaar covers, with their form derived from sun position (with deconstructive appeal) and the second one is narrow streets which generate social life and create shade. Connection between street and sea is not to be broken with building, so the east and west façades are glazed in order to maintain view on the Golden Horn from the sea; north and south façades are from béton brut as a reference to industrial past of the site. Mixed function project is planned to satisfy needs of people living in Balat, so beside souvenir ateliers and art gallery, proposal includes retail space for selling hand-made local goods, educational space for youth, office space for local NGOs, amphi-stairs for open-air cinema, bazaar with canopy garden and restaurant with a view over Golden Horn. As the project is a complex of (quasi) autonomous objects, circulation is thought as a main part of project, with a role of connecting all different functions and again giving a choice to explore unexpected spaces to visitor. With this aim on mind elevated streets are included in project and roofs were given a function of squares, so it could be stated that negative – positive situation on street level is inverted when elevated.
Plans
Section
North elevation
Perspective from the street
Perspective from the bridge