The Urban Design of the Hanlar Bölgesi / Çarşıbaşı,
Bursa 2021 | Selim Atak, Cansen Molva, Eda Abanozoğlu
The developed project defines the historical Hanlar District as an object and the project area as a fractured part of it. The central idea is to restore the space's existing spatial perception that has evolved and been damaged over time, using a contemporary language to create a tangible sensory interaction with its users. The design does not aim for physical perpetuity; instead, it simplifies the decisions made during the historical development of the Hanlar District, projecting it into the future. In this sense, the project acts as a plastic material that repairs the broken object, conveying experiences and ideas while leaving room for future needs and aesthetic considerations in the development.
The design starts by considering the Hanlar District as a whole made of a single material. Cemal Nadir Street and the buildings to be demolished form the main lines of the area. The first decision in the design process is to reconsider these lines to make them permeable. Following this strategy, the existing public space along the street has been analyzed, and a modern "portico" rising with the slope of the land has been proposed along the street as a mass.
The preserved structures in the project area represent remnants of the past, forming a historical layer. Acknowledging that the preserved buildings alone cannot convey in-depth information about the existing public space, it is suggested to project some of the demolished buildings on the pre-defined rectangular square. The central part of the project, the hard surface forming the projection of the existing street texture, is metaphorically created with an "archaeological" destruction. The proposed square is conceived as a means to connect the surrounding buildings while also transmitting the collective memory of the area. After determining the surface organization of the project area, various uses have been proposed to keep the defined void dynamic and livable. The proposed new buildings aim to be perceived as part of the void.
Proposed program: Following the competition brief The Central Bank Building has been visually designed to match the original. While the new supporting system imitates the old facades, the interior structural elements have been reorganized to suit the building's new function. The building has been transformed into a hybrid space with two separate entrances at different levels to accommodate two different uses. One of the new proposed functions is to move the Faculty of Fine Arts of Uludağ University to İpek Han and the newly designed Central Bank building. As a second function, the Municipal courses and workshops are suggested to be accommodated.
A design library is proposed for the space between the Central Bank and İpek Han. The mass has been elevated on columns within the void to maintain visual continuity and not interrupt the surrounding. The management of the library is intended to be located within the preserved historic structures.
On the northern boundary of the project area, a digital archive proposed to replace Zafer Plaz.
Cemal Nadir Street: It is suggested to narrow the street by one lane and reduce traffic density around the project area. Preventing transit traffic within the center and restricting vehicular traffic for the region's users is proposed.