İZMİR COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
İzmir ︎ 2012 ︎ Construction Area: 200.000 m2 ︎ Site: 200.000 m2 ︎ Urban Design ︎ Boğaçhan Dündaralp, Cenk Hasan Dereli, Can Çinici, Nevzat Sayın, Ahmet Köksal, Ayşegül Uğurlu, Gezin Evren, İbrahim Eyüp, Sibel Özdoğan





As one of the five teams on the multi-layered urban project, we concentrated on the area extending from Konak Pier to Alsancak Port. Taking the preexisting structures along with the ones present today, we created a superposition project comprised of the best features of all the different periods.
In the past, the Highway Commission had imposed the construction of a road, which the Chamber of Architects had sued and won and the project was suspended thanks to their efforts. In the end, the breakwater rubbles on the shore had spread to the sea, creating a long quay park along the shore. Starting at the north end of Cumhuriyet Square and extending to Alsancak Port, this belt was designed as an active park area. Lowered to the level of the old quay at different points, the belt was important both for keeping its memory alive and for maintaining connection with water. The landings stretched out to the sea were instrumental in perceiving the city and the sea from a long pier, and also served to dock small boats briefly and encourage sea transportation. The pillars of the upper road the Highway Commission left behind after its battle with the Chamber of Architects were converted into a playground for kids. The area immediately in front of the unsightly officer’s club that replaced the former, graceful NATO building was transformed into an amphitheater and reserved for various outdoor activities including an open-air move theater.
The area around Alsancak Port was proposed as a seaside cafeteria / restaurant to increase circulation at this point. Cumhuriyet Square was converted into an area that could accommodate ceremonies, suing the sea in front as a stage backdrop. The coffeehouses occupying the Pasaport quay and leaving no room for pedestrians were recessed, similar to the 1st Kordon and the quay was left entirely to pedestrians.
The busy pedestrian circulation in Konak Area was reduced and was redesigned for topographic amphitheaters and outdoor rest stops. The collective memory of the city was thus revived through these changes.