| 2017 - 2019 |
Martyrs' Memorial, Memory 15 July, Anatolian Side Traffic Control Directorate
In Istanbul, before the coup attempt took place on the bridge formerly known as the Bosphorus Bridge, the site on which the 15 July Martyrs' Memorial and Memory 15 July have been built was used as the Traffic Control Branch Directorate. Following the coup attempt, this site and its surroundings were redesigned to serve as the memory of this event. The Traffic Control Branch Directorate building was also incorporated into the design as part of this complex of buildings.
Martyrs' Memorial
The Martyrs' Memorial was built as a memorial shrine (makam) at the Anatolian-side exit of the 15 July Martyrs' Bridge, following the kümbet-türbe (domed tomb) concept that exists in our tradition and has matured over the centuries.
A road was opened from the Nakkaştepe side to the location of the Martyrs' Memorial, and the approximately 11-decare (2.7-acre) site was laid out entirely as the Martyrs' Park and planted with trees native to the Bosphorus; in its landscaping, 250 cypresses and 250 roses were planted to represent the 250 martyrs.
The dome, in its entirety, symbolizes the universe and eternity, expressing that the martyrs are not in fact “dead” but have attained divine blessings together with an eternal life. The members forming the transparent geodesic dome, which is made up of bar elements, refer to the unity, solidarity and cohesion the nation displayed in the face of such an attempt. It is thanks to this unity (tawhid) and cohesion that a very strong, unshakable, interlocked roof has been formed that will secure the permanence of our nation and our state.
With reference to the five-pointed star, the memorial consists of a geodesic dome made up of Turkish triangles, resting on a pentagonal plan and likewise generated from the pentagon. The dome is clad with 5 cm thick küfeki stone over a steel structure. The pentagon-based arc of the geodesic dome descends in steps into the ground, becoming space while symbolizing the idea of “the future rooted in the past.” At the very center of the stepped space enclosed by the dome, the muqarnas, one of the most distinguished elements of Islamic arts, has been used in the shape of a star as a spring through which water circulates, pointing to the fact that every living thing was created from water. This center expresses the truth that time and all events flow to a single place and a single center: “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return (al-Baqarah 156).”
Memory 15 July
Memory 15 July has been designed at the lower level of the Martyrs' Memorial, positioned in harmony with the slope so as to form a whole with the topography. The lower and upper levels are connected to each other by the Memory 15 July building along the rather high slope on which the Martyrs' Memorial stands.
The ground floor recounts the course of events of the 15 July coup attempt. The historical depth of such coups and coup attempts, and the centuries-old background of the world history of colonialism and hegemony, are exhibited on the lower floor with striking examples from world history.
The structure of the building consists of exposed concrete load-bearing shear walls. By being set back in steps in plan, the shear walls help to create a powerful sense of interior space and to divide the functions. Steel joinery is used between the shear walls, providing glass facades that are both wide and tall. Panels with geometric patterns based on a decagonal scheme are used in front of the glazing.
Traffic Control Branch Directorate
This directorate, the headquarters of the traffic police in Istanbul, performed its duties in simple prefabricated buildings before the events of 15 July. With the construction of the 15 July Martyrs' Memorial and Memory 15 July, the need arose for a building for the Traffic Branch Directorate in the vicinity of the Martyrs' Bridge. In response to this need, a new control building referencing the Turkish House was designed and built so as to form a whole with the other two structures.
The load-bearing system of the building, whose principal spatial function was conceived as offices, is a steel structure.
