Istanbul Urbanization Research Center
The Urbanization Research Center Project is located in Istanbul specifically in the historical Peninusla of Costantinapole. Therefore, the site will be surrounded by a very rich context of historical background. The site precisely is located in in front of the Roman Aquaeductus from South West and the Gazanfer Ağa Madrasah From South East and Hüsam Bey Mosque from North East side.
The idea of Urbanization Center in Istanbul started with the analysis of the city growth in terms of Population and urbanization where the increase of population made people look for empty places to build on. Thus, it eliminates the green spaces around Istanbul with less urban organization planning. The movement of population where it was concentrated in the historical peninsula started outward of the peninsula to spread out in the city. Therefore, the research center will gather the city planners and urbanization researchers to study and simulate the given variables of the information in spaces provided and designed for them like the simulation room where they can simulate their given variables and apply the changes on them in past, present, and future.
Since the site is very close to educational destinations like Medipol University the Project included Library and study rooms to help the students and attract them more to the Building. In addition, the Project allows the students who are relative in their studies to interact and enter the private zone of the researchers. On other hand, for serving the public as a mass in the site, the Cafeteria serves public people who are passing by or sitting there as a transit point between their destination’s targets.
Moving to the Building Design form and decisions, the most important principle was the Circulation of people around the site and within it between the destination points. The destination points around the site are important and have valuable context like commercial and historical context. As a result, the build had to work in connecting joint between these destinations and increase the importance of there places. By having a floating long bridge connecting madrasah with Itfaiye street and Roman Aquanauts it emphasizes the path for people and lead them for the path. Moreover. The half bridge also connects Kadinlar Pazari with the site which has a court yard, that plays a role in the harmony with pattern of the city of having a central courtyard, in the middle as a central movement point between the building parts and outer destinations. As a result, the building is working as a connector between outer destinations and was divided int different masses having different privacy levels.
The project have two main leveling differences according to the slope of 5 meters Hight change and accordingly the building changes functions according to the level difference especially in the upper floor where the library is in level +8.00 and the research center and some study rooms connected by the passing bridge at +6.80 level.
At last the building materials used on the facades are different from two sides facing the historical monuments. Thus, the facades facing the Roman Aquaeductus and Gazanfer Madrasah take Yellowish Granite tiles similar or closer to their nature charismatics and on the other facades greyish granite tiles covers the facades which facing the modern buildings. The transition between the martial facades are to make the building works in harmony with surrounding context and show effect of the site on the building project.
