AKM2 is not a ‘solution’ to the problem

Aras Burak – We are strongly against the imposed changes in Taksim Meydanı. If the construction begins to make these great changes on the most important public space of Istanbul, the failure will be a shame for Municipality of Istanbul and will be remembered forever just like the great changes done in our history on Aksaray, Vatan Caddesi.

If Ugur Tanyeli, Korhan Gümüs, Emre Arolat, Nevzat Sayin and many other architects living in this city agree these changes will cause a disaster, constantly publishing Sinan Genim‘s opinions on its own is clearly not enough to make this project convincing in terms of a media strategy.

This is not a rebellion rooting from a conservative approach nor our jealousy, “pouring concrete” onto the life in Taksim Meydanı will create an purposeless emptiness. Emptiness is a tool for architecture; in this case, what is the aim? Where does this empty space end, how does this emptiness have a relationship with its edge? These questions will be raised.

Unquestionably Taksim deserves a fair competition between the world designers.

You might have seen some rough images of our proposal for Taksim Meydanı but we will be announcing our AKM2 proposal properly by the end of June 2012. It will not be an answer to a problem neither will be the great solution, it is not more than just another way of designing the most valuable public space in Istanbul.