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Izmir Opera House- Competition Entry
Izmir Opera House- Competition Entry
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Izmir Opera House- Competition Entry
Type
SIZE
1,000,000 +
Concept:Izmir
and Global Synergy:The
city of Izmir, with its complex and multicultural history has
traditionally been an economic and cultural hub of the Eastern
Mediterranean. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the
beginning of 20th
century, although Izmir largely lost its diverse social structure, it
has since remained as one of the most progressive cities of Turkey.
Being a port city that wishes to reestablish itself in the global
arena, Izmir not only aims to re-center itself as a hub of economic
activity but also simultaneously intends to re-establish its cultural
significance. The competition for the new Izmir opera house is a part
of this strategic plan, and architecture is expected to act as a
catalyst. However, even though this use of an architecturally
fanciful cultural program became a global model to short-circuit mid
level planning schemes with the hope to rapidly transform the
economic and cultural destiny of many cities in Europe, Asia and
beyond, it is still polemical what architectural models are viable.
We believe that there are two problematic models in this scenario,
the former being a sculptural statement that falls out of
?architectural fashion? by the time it is built, and the latter
being a rejection of aesthetic criteria for the favor of ?stylistic?
neutrality that results with a deceptively economical, functionalist
example of modernism which not only fails to respond to the local
context effectively but also shies away from becoming a global
attractor that the city aims to be in the first place. Although we
believe that larger urban planning initiatives cannot be reduced to
singular architectural interventions, the structure we propose
intends to not only act as a gradient that transitions the existing
and proposed activities in this new and emerging part of the city but
also aims to plug into a much larger global cultural context through
a dynamic fusion of aesthetic, cultural and functional criteria. Izmir
and Urban Memory: Our
proposal for the Izmir Opera aims to tap into the existing
architectural memory of the city through a synthesis of 2 prominent
architectural typologies: the tower and the amphitheater.
Tower: Tower
as an architectural typology is a sign of visual and symbolic
order. It is an urban marker that creates ?place? through
its physical presence and iconography. There are many historic
examples of such towers in Izmir that mark the socioeconomic and
architectural significance of various moments in its history: most
notably the Clock Tower at the old town square of Konak and the
Asansor Tower, one of the first steam engine elevators open for
public use in history. We believe that Izmir needs a contemporary
tower that signifies and marks its new and emerging priorities and
announces its progressive cultural agenda.
Amphitheater: Amphitheater
is a typology that is designed to accommodate public gatherings,
therefore is a form that acts as an interface for social unity.
Amphitheaters have a significant place in the urban memory of Izmir.
Ephesus Antique Theater, one of the most well preserved Roman
amphitheaters in the world, is in Izmir, amongst many other
significant historic examples of this type. We believe that the Opera
House as a cultural construct can incorporate architectural
strategies of an amphitheater in a contemporary fashion in order to
serve as a social catalyst that encourages public interaction and an
urban democracy.Izmir
Opera: Both a monument and a continuous public space! By
fusing these two different types of architectural typologies, our
proposal for Izmir Opera aims to create a continuous social
space. This fusion creates not only a visual and spatial synergy
but also a functional and operational one. The new Izmir Opera
House should be perceived as topography rather than form. Therefore
the Opera as a cultural program becomes an extension of the existing
cultural landscape of the city in order to ensure an uninterrupted
integration to the existing urban life. It simultaneously
operates as a democratic platform for public interaction and a
radical spatial marker in the existing skyline of the city. The Opera
becomes a podium to observe the city and an object that can be
observed at the same time. Consequently, activities of high culture
such as opera and ballet are threaded into the fabric of daily life.
Architecture becomes a catalyst that reinforces the relationship
between the old city, the new city, the waterfront and urban culture.
In short, our vision is a synergy of spatial, cultural as well as
practical and contextual aesthetics.Program
and Layout:In
our proposal, the complex programmatic demands of the opera are
divided into two main components: the staff use and public use. The
staff functions such as opera and ballet related rehearsal rooms,
administrative spaces, technical support and such are organized as a
U around the publicly accessible spaces, and are primarily located at
the northern edge of the site. The all accessible spaces such as
lobbies and foyers are located south. The large hall and small hall
are placed in between so that they connect these two aspects of the
program. The large hall, opera and ballet admin and lobbies are
located underneath ?The City Amplifier,? the all accessible
public amphitheater roof that faces the waterfront and the park. The
City Amplifier can be used as seating, a performance venue, viewing
platform, a gathering place for other outdoor cultural activities as
well as a continuous promenade that connects the waterfront to the
northern edge of the site. It is also covered with planters and water
features to create experiential variety. The oversized skylights
allow for a visual connection to the interior lobby and vent out
warm air as a part of a sustainability strategy. ?The Tower of
Culture? houses the small hall, the restaurant and other indoor
public uses in order to take advantage of the dramatic views of the
city. Through its height and iconic silhouette, the tower is the most
striking structure visible while entering the Bay of Izmir by sea.
and Global Synergy:The
city of Izmir, with its complex and multicultural history has
traditionally been an economic and cultural hub of the Eastern
Mediterranean. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the
beginning of 20th
century, although Izmir largely lost its diverse social structure, it
has since remained as one of the most progressive cities of Turkey.
Being a port city that wishes to reestablish itself in the global
arena, Izmir not only aims to re-center itself as a hub of economic
activity but also simultaneously intends to re-establish its cultural
significance. The competition for the new Izmir opera house is a part
of this strategic plan, and architecture is expected to act as a
catalyst. However, even though this use of an architecturally
fanciful cultural program became a global model to short-circuit mid
level planning schemes with the hope to rapidly transform the
economic and cultural destiny of many cities in Europe, Asia and
beyond, it is still polemical what architectural models are viable.
We believe that there are two problematic models in this scenario,
the former being a sculptural statement that falls out of
?architectural fashion? by the time it is built, and the latter
being a rejection of aesthetic criteria for the favor of ?stylistic?
neutrality that results with a deceptively economical, functionalist
example of modernism which not only fails to respond to the local
context effectively but also shies away from becoming a global
attractor that the city aims to be in the first place. Although we
believe that larger urban planning initiatives cannot be reduced to
singular architectural interventions, the structure we propose
intends to not only act as a gradient that transitions the existing
and proposed activities in this new and emerging part of the city but
also aims to plug into a much larger global cultural context through
a dynamic fusion of aesthetic, cultural and functional criteria. Izmir
and Urban Memory: Our
proposal for the Izmir Opera aims to tap into the existing
architectural memory of the city through a synthesis of 2 prominent
architectural typologies: the tower and the amphitheater.
Tower: Tower
as an architectural typology is a sign of visual and symbolic
order. It is an urban marker that creates ?place? through
its physical presence and iconography. There are many historic
examples of such towers in Izmir that mark the socioeconomic and
architectural significance of various moments in its history: most
notably the Clock Tower at the old town square of Konak and the
Asansor Tower, one of the first steam engine elevators open for
public use in history. We believe that Izmir needs a contemporary
tower that signifies and marks its new and emerging priorities and
announces its progressive cultural agenda.
Amphitheater: Amphitheater
is a typology that is designed to accommodate public gatherings,
therefore is a form that acts as an interface for social unity.
Amphitheaters have a significant place in the urban memory of Izmir.
Ephesus Antique Theater, one of the most well preserved Roman
amphitheaters in the world, is in Izmir, amongst many other
significant historic examples of this type. We believe that the Opera
House as a cultural construct can incorporate architectural
strategies of an amphitheater in a contemporary fashion in order to
serve as a social catalyst that encourages public interaction and an
urban democracy.Izmir
Opera: Both a monument and a continuous public space! By
fusing these two different types of architectural typologies, our
proposal for Izmir Opera aims to create a continuous social
space. This fusion creates not only a visual and spatial synergy
but also a functional and operational one. The new Izmir Opera
House should be perceived as topography rather than form. Therefore
the Opera as a cultural program becomes an extension of the existing
cultural landscape of the city in order to ensure an uninterrupted
integration to the existing urban life. It simultaneously
operates as a democratic platform for public interaction and a
radical spatial marker in the existing skyline of the city. The Opera
becomes a podium to observe the city and an object that can be
observed at the same time. Consequently, activities of high culture
such as opera and ballet are threaded into the fabric of daily life.
Architecture becomes a catalyst that reinforces the relationship
between the old city, the new city, the waterfront and urban culture.
In short, our vision is a synergy of spatial, cultural as well as
practical and contextual aesthetics.Program
and Layout:In
our proposal, the complex programmatic demands of the opera are
divided into two main components: the staff use and public use. The
staff functions such as opera and ballet related rehearsal rooms,
administrative spaces, technical support and such are organized as a
U around the publicly accessible spaces, and are primarily located at
the northern edge of the site. The all accessible spaces such as
lobbies and foyers are located south. The large hall and small hall
are placed in between so that they connect these two aspects of the
program. The large hall, opera and ballet admin and lobbies are
located underneath ?The City Amplifier,? the all accessible
public amphitheater roof that faces the waterfront and the park. The
City Amplifier can be used as seating, a performance venue, viewing
platform, a gathering place for other outdoor cultural activities as
well as a continuous promenade that connects the waterfront to the
northern edge of the site. It is also covered with planters and water
features to create experiential variety. The oversized skylights
allow for a visual connection to the interior lobby and vent out
warm air as a part of a sustainability strategy. ?The Tower of
Culture? houses the small hall, the restaurant and other indoor
public uses in order to take advantage of the dramatic views of the
city. Through its height and iconic silhouette, the tower is the most
striking structure visible while entering the Bay of Izmir by sea.
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