Köprübaşı City Square,
Antakya 2021 | Selim Atak, Talip Doğu Ayan, Umut Cırık
Among the many distinctive features that make Antakya unique, perhaps the most intriguing one is its multi-layered urban texture. New structures have covered but not completely erased the historical layers. Construction phases from different periods can be visibly traced through remains like a ruined aqueduct, a piece of foundation or partially covered mosaics. By observing these remnants within the city, an inquisitive individual has the capacity to reconstruct Antakya's concealed history in their mind, leading to a myriad of potential scenarios. It is conceivable that the city's multi-layered structure provides opportunities for individuals to develop scenarios, filling them with their own distinctive patches of imagination. The current urban fabric of Antakya represents just one of the potential scenarios.
For example, Kurtuluş Street has been in existence for centuries, although it has undergone various changes in its buildings and structures over time. If we embrace the idea that the street's direction and linearity link it to the past, present, and potential future, it becomes evident that numerous structures have existed on this street, and there will likely be more in the future. In this context, any moment from history can come alive in our minds through the traces found on the street, allowing for different interpretations. Likewise, when examining the project area, we can view the Ata Bridge and the historical Roman bridge that once occupied the same location as elements linking various historical epochs. In this way, the bridge identifies the structures, streets, or squares that once existed in the project area. The newly designed square aims to lead users' imagination in a space where the two banks of the Orontes River have met for centuries. The deliberate incompleteness applied throughout the project intends to encourage the speculation of what happened in the area in the past and what might happen in the future, empowering the user to construct their own imaginative reality.
The bridge: We consider the demolition of the Roman bridge and its replacement with the new bridge, designed to increase vehicular traffic through the square with transit passages, as a betrayal of history within the context of misguided urban planning practices. However, the proposed project avoids repeating the same mistake by not demolishing the new bridge. It acknowledges that correct or incorrect decisions throughout the city's history have contributed to shape the city. Therefore a T shaped structure which consists a pedesterian bridge is proposed.
The "T" is a structure located on different layers and emerges disruptively, disturbing the flat surface of the square. It is designed as a walkway not exceeding the outer boundary of the console promenade along the Orontes River. The walkway ends with a new pedestrian bridge connecting the two shores. The "T" structure exists both above and below the ground, touching different historical periods, added to the current and historical layers of the city.
The Patch: The new square is designed as a contrasting element to the surrounding area, appearing as a rational addition or a deliberately planned excavation, in other words, an artificial plane. The intention is to distinguish the new square with human-made boundaries. By adding two structures to the created plane, the square is divided into two parts, defining user mobility as dynamic and static components. The southern part of the square offers users a space where they can slow down. On the other hand, the dynamic north square, characterized by public transport stops and a direct connection to the Uzun Çarşı, aims to facilitate users' daily activities.
The Curtain: serves as the backstage of the new square and is envisioned as an architectural sculpture that faces the square. It conceals but does not completely cover the rear facade, preserving the traces left by the demolished building on the adjacent facade.
The project area includes two different groups of amenities. In the north part of square, lightweight floating benches are planned. The shading elements and urban furniture in this area aim to meet the daily needs of the city's residents. The central feature imagined in the south of the square is a pedestal that has been disrupted. The inspiration for this design comes from remnants of a structure that no longer exists, such as a temple found in Samandağ. Other amenities designed around the central structure create an impression of scattered pieces around it.