Istanbul, Between Contour and Silhouette
The three given project sites are located around the complex of the Süleymaniye Mosque. The mosque delineates a distinctive silhouette situated on top of one of the hills that comprise Istanbul’s “Golden Horn”. These hills are a fundamental element in defining the panoramic character of the city’s urban fabric.
The mosque is a religiously sacred realm that has front- and backyards around the buildings. These semi-public yards serve as buffer zones at the transition point where worshippers enter from the mundane world to the sacred realm. This is a reason why it represents a large figure of the urban fabric and the constraint of certain activities. In addition, most urban activities happen in the meandering streets and semi-private courtyards in blocks near the mosque.
To encourage urban dynamics through establishing a platform of public domain, a series of courtyards have been introduced within the three project sites. The designed courtyards and open spaces create a new inner silhouette and mediate steep contour levels to enhance accessibility from the outside. A closely related series of courtyards
allow people to have a glimpse of nearby courtyards stimulating visitors’ curiosities. This approach provides an unexpected urban encounter such as a labyrinth-oriented experience.
A set of courtyards introduces a micro-scale of the urban fabric, orchestrated within the existing historic urban fabric.