C3 Magazine _ Kuum 02-2009

 
The Beşiktaş Fish Market project is a notable effort by the community of Beşiktaş to revitalize the neighborhood. Beşiktaş is located in one of Istanbul's most populated and diverse neighborhoods. It is in the process of urban preservation and renewal.

Located on a 320m- triangular site in the heart of the neighborhood's commercial district, the market is very well-known. Since the structure of the old fish market was in dire condition, a goal was set to rebuild it. The project team was assembled to work directly with the municipality of Beşiktaş and the local merchants to organize an effective project strategy and goal The project is symbolic of the symbiosis between the community's effort and architectural team to improve the market, the area's urban fabric and its quality of life.

GAD delved into researching the area, studying its history, present conditions and future goals Through field research, many of the area's specific tendencies and urban operations were documented and studied prior to formulating a design strategy Interviews with the municipality and with the market's merchants were held to assemble the programmatic criteria for the project GAD and Gokhan Avciglu started the design with a series of manipulations of the triangular ground surface. The inflated surface was a quick director of the possible symbolic nature of the site and project. To achieve a public and welcoming appearance, the surface was pierced among its periphery.


The project was developed into a simple yet iconic concrete and steel seashell like form covering the entire site with large openings at street level. The sturdy porous shell provides a column free interior space, optimizing the projects programmatic needs,while also providing a dramatic market space. The interior volume is divided into 6 display sections of various sizes. They are joined by circulation that easily connect all the extends to the larger urban fabric display cases were hand crafted by local experts as continuous stainless steel forms For the lighting contains the traditional use of hanging 150 watt of fish markets in Istanbul