PROJECT’S POSITION:Project site is the Republic Square located in Antalya province - Muratpaşa District,on Republic Street (Cumhuriyet Caddesi) and Tophane Tea Garden (Tophane Çay Bahçesi),amongst the historical elements of the city.On the south of the square,there is Kaleiçi premises and marina;on the north there is an indoor parking lot and a square;and on the east and west, there are various shopping malls and business centers.
CONCEPT:There are urban open areas (spaces),built and present,in almost every city all around the world. Although the most effectively used component of these open spaces is squares,not all vast areas or open spaces are defined as squares.In other words,to refer to an open area as square,certain parameters that will avoid skeptical and ambiguous descriptions are required,which has always been the case.These parameters or variables have not only become different in the course of the historical process,but they have also served as resources for several definitions within the context of the view of specialties dealing with cities on all urban spaces (social,cultural,economic and financial etc.) and all their affiliated readings.In this sense, numerous historical samples are witnessed within the borders of our city.Antalya Republic Square is where the artilleries protecting the city were deployed in the past, until it was covered with concrete by Haşim İşcan, the governor of the period,back in 1942.After that day,the square was called as the Tophane (Armory) Square, however,it was later on changed to the“Republic Square” since first the Governor’s Office and then the Antalya Government Office (in 1973,the Provincial Building Projects was awarded via a contest and the historical mansion was demolished in 1974 to construct the new building) stood there,it is located on the street where all official and unofficial ceremonies and events of Antalya took place and also where the same ceremonies and events were finalized.In 1964,the title of Republic Square became official together with Ataturk Monument that was built on its current spot,in the name of National Rise (Ulusal Yükseliş).
In order to remove the negative elements on the area where the stores of Foundations stand, right next to the Republic Square,our municipality deems important,in this period,reclaiming the outdated and worn-out area that will not harmonize with the touristic and cultural characteristics of our city,as an alternative to the project from the previous period,which involves furnishing with pools instead of highlighting the Mediterranean Sea and Kaleiçi that stand as the most outstanding features of our city.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE; The revision project is intended for numerous purposes.Yet,the main objectives of the project are as follows:
-Citizens and visitors can meet at several spots around the Mediterranean Sea and Kaleiçi and in the vicinity of Kaleiçi,in terms of the possibility of having a better view. The Republic square is the most important one of these meeting points.Lighting,ground improvement and upgrading,as a continuation of the enlargement works that were launched in 2007 for the Republic Square occupying such a significant position,
-Reclaiming the area that has become non-functional, worn-out and a wreckage site,where the stores of the Foundations are located,and integration of the same site with the Republic Square,
-Providing a better view of Kaleiçi and the Mediterranean Sea from the Square and the Republic street that the square was named after and removing the potentially removable artificial barriers instead of creating a new one.
PLAN, PROJECT AND DESIGN DECISIONS: Our municipality does not have any intentions to build a new square for the city during this period.The goal is to reclaim the outdated area next to the Republic Square, through integration with the Republic Square. As we have stated in the history part,the square was named as the Republic Square since structures like the Governor’s Office,the Government’s Office and the Provincial Building stood on the same site for more than one-hundred years and since the square hosted all kinds of official and unofficial great events.On top of that,the square is also a square with an identity as the National Rise monument stands thereon and,therefore,it does not need a new identity.Given that the Republic Square, the most significant site of our city,hosted official ceremonies and social events,the characteristics of serving as an assembly and meeting area have been highlighted in line with those functions and attention has been paid not to constitute physical barriers while placing shades etc. Within this context,the idea of increasing landscaping and shade components outside the square area has been adopted.From this perspective, this project does not have any intentions to replace the current functions of the square with new ones.
When the design studies were launched,they were carried out in line with the implementary development plan decisions,owing to the the fact that it is the last link of the planning stage,considering that the area is not accepted as a large one according to the urban scale within the entire city and that it could be titled as an urban design project within the planning stage.In view of the fact that the conducted work is not a re-planning study it can be regarded as an urban design study and solving the problems in the surrounding built-up residences,as well as the commerce and service fields,is not the subject of this design study.Nevertheless,since Kaleiçi remains within the borders of the urban protected area, the opinions and judgments of the relevant regional board have guided the studies,in accordance with the Law No.2863 on the Conversation of Cultural Property. The issue of solving the problems that involve urban aesthetics,in the built-up residences,as well as the commerce and service fields,surrounding the project site is the subject of a planning.
Antalya
Turkey
Confidential
06/2018
7500 m2
KEREM ERUNSAL
FATMA OZTURK, MERVE TETIK
MEHMET OSMAN AYDIN
Curriculum
Our company,in which Antalya Metropolitan Municipality has 96% share,was established on 12.07.1991 and has a capital of TRY 14 Million. To offer visualization,presentation and animation services, in addition to architecture and engineering application services,at every level of the designing process,from concept design to project management,to provide consultancy service about strategic and urban planning,urban transformation,cultural-sociocultural,institutional transformation projects;to receive consultancy service;to finance;to develop projects,to conduct studies on subjects like any kind of data collection,survey,research,assessment and consultancy, to be utilized in the course of urban development and planning of reconstruction works,to establish and operate the facilities required for the purpose of any construction and contracting,construction works and manufacturing,both at home and abroad,to build and operate Asphalt Production Facilities in order to produce and market asphalt.