Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects

Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior PhotographyAtaturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography, Wood, Shelving, BeamAtaturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior PhotographyAtaturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Wood, Facade, Handrail, SteelAtaturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - More Images+ 20

İstanbul, Turkey
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  95
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2021
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Emre Dörter
  • Lead Architects: Melkan Gürsel-Murat Tabanlıoğlu
  • Design Team: İsmail Hakkı Özkurt, Hakan Karslı, Samet Dibek, Tuğra Öcal, Ziya Taptil, Hayati Girginer, Samet Dibek, Yeşim Türk Serdar Makinacı, Salih Yılgörür, Ahmet Çorapçıoğlu, Ali Çalışkan, Funda Tezel Aksoy, Zeynep Eker Yılgörür Melike Özkan, Deniz İlhan, Sibel Ergün, Melis Çınar, Beyza Yazıcı, Enes Yücepur, Selin Dinçer, Duygu Kara, Esra Gültoplayan Durdubaşoğlu, Remzi Uslu, İpek Saygılı, Utka Yönter, Hatice Çağıran, Müge Yalçın, Melis Muratoğlu, Erman Uçaroğlu, Salih Özkan Dursun, Fulya Ayşe Seviğ, Fatma Pelin Serin, Çiğdem Durmayaz, CansuYeni, Ali Rıza Saçan, Yetkin Göllü, Ceyda Cihangir Uçaroğlu, Elena Petrova, Merve Yapıcı, Sare Gizem Dağdeviren, Canan Sandal Çalışır, Göktuğ Türkkan, Reyhan Devran, Gürkan Doğan, Figen Burcu Akyüz, Yaprak Karataş, Enis Kaçka, Sedef Varan, Mert Aslan, Elif Ulucan
  • City: İstanbul
  • Country: Turkey
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Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography
© Emre Dörter

Text description provided by the architects. Searching for an answer to the question of “how to handle the architecture of the 60s”- especially those having complex functions like opera, dealing with contemporary art, architecture, and urban understanding simultaneously, the new Ataturk Cultural Center project takes special care to preserve the aesthetic, physical and social values inherited from its predecessor projects. Considering its unique place in the memory of the city and for citizens individually, it would not have been possible to develop the Ataturk Cultural Center as a brand-new project. The cultural center, designed as a 21st-century cultural structure with the idea of reviving Taksim Square, evolves in two joint fragments. The new design largely maintains the outer appearance and volumes of the previous structure, complementing it with a sweeping expansion.

Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, Windows
© Emre Dörter
Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Image 23 of 25
Plan
Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography, Windows
© Emre Dörter

With reference to the mass scale, proportions, and facade design of the previous AKM, the main Opera House - located in lieu of the former Ataturk Cultural Center and preserves its symbolic and urban memory- is developed in the height limits of the former building, with additional structures - articulated along Mete Street and extends towards Ataturk Library and Istanbul Technical University forming a culture lane which brings together the social, artistic and cultural performance units and secondary functions - efficiently ensure the conditions for the intensive public use of relevant functions, and stimulate the urban flow.

Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography
© Emre Dörter
Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Image 24 of 25
Perspective
Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography, Wood, Shelving, Beam
© Emre Dörter

The iconic façade overlooking Taksim square is rebuilt, although using new technologies. While preserving the AKM’s outer image the front prospect reveals the most recognizable element of the new design: the 2040-seat concert hall, which is contained in a large hemispheric element. It is clad in bright red tiles, which were crafted as enlarged versions of the ceramic tiles present in the old AKM. Other elements of the original design have been reproduced or reinterpreted, such as the striking spiral staircase in the main foyer.

Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Wood, Facade, Handrail, Steel
© Emre Dörter

The new AKM contains a variety of new functions; the expansion spreads on the site of the former parking lot, parallel to Gezi Park. Four blocks of decreasing heights are arranged around a descending sequence of staircases that lead to a secondary piazza, reaching Atatürk Library. Along this axis, “Culture Way”, there is a theatre, a cinema, a library, multipurpose and exhibition halls, a music platform, a children's art-activity center, and cafes. Suspended between the mass of the original AKM and the expansion, creating an entry space at ground level, a rectangular volume- with its wide glass façade, protruding onto the square- hosts an art gallery.

Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects - Exterior Photography, Cityscape, Windows
© Emre Dörter

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Project location

Address:İstanbul, Türkiye, Turkey

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Ataturk Cultural Center / Tabanlioglu Architects" 17 Feb 2023. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/996635/ataturk-cultural-center-tabanlioglu-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

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