Taksim A Square of Encounters, Urban Design Proposal submitted to Taksim Urban Design Competition organized by Istanbul Planning Agency

Our goal is to design Taksim as a multifunctional public space of everyday encounters. A public space of encounters, capable of overcoming the current social and ecological deficits by empowering the embedded urban identity and the socio-cultural histories of the Square. In other words, cultural identity, the quality of the green spaces, the accessibility, and inclusiveness – that is a youth- as well as elderly-friendly Square, welcoming permanent residents and visitors, are as important as economic development of those using Taksim to conduct their business such as flowers or simit sellers. Engaging people to create the kinds of places that reflect their artistic expressions, identity, vision, needs, and desires is a central tenet of our design