Orhangazi Square and its Vicinity

Bursa, one of the key centers of the Ottoman Empire, has faced both glory and destructions throughout its history, rising from its ashes every single time. The urban texture of Bursa is shaped around the historical core. Today, the urban identity of Bursa is about to be lost: the once-green Bursa is being replaced by a city without fertile plains, whose social and religious complexes, and inns are lost within a lot of concrete buildings. Orhangazi Urban Square and its environs demonstrate a cultural erosion conditioned by this development. The leading problems of the historic urban core of Bursa are the very dense urban texture, the chaotic traffic and the inadequacy of the road system. The continued presence of the pedestrian movement is a significant challenge for the project area and its surrounding landscape.

 

“Slow City” was proposed as a model to design pedestrian-first usage decisions and spaces, and to enable the historic core to be used comfortably, peacefully and securely by the residents and visitors of Bursa. The fundamental decision here is the mutual existence of the architecture and the landscape. The proposed design encourages high-quality and safe usage during both day and night, while turning the Orhangazi Urban Square into the focal point of the historical core. The square, which lies in the east-west direction as a linear space, is aimed to be embraced by the rehabilitated market place from the south and to become a major transfer hub for the pedestrians.

 

Courtyards of the inns will be renovated with an innovative approach, chaotic and undefined vacant spaces will be rehabilitated to showcase tranquility and designed urban furniture.