Ecological Renewal of Kurbağalıdere

This project aims to develop a discourse that will breathe life into İstanbul’s Kadıköy, that will configure the future rather than saving the day, and will demonstrate that the city and nature can become one. The most important emphasis of the project is on the basin preservation approach. The life veins of İstanbul (valley systems and valley bottoms – Kuşdili Meadow, Uzun Çayır, Kurbağalıdere, etc.) have hosted mostly agricultural activities until 1950s, and have become a most important regional production center with their first-degree fertile agricultural soils. Current projects such as the Fikirtepe regeneration model, which tried to assume a savior role, are decontextualized and are deepening urban fractures. The project does not only offer a planning and design model for Kurbağalıdere, but for all the endangered valley systems of İstanbul by applying ecological and sustainable approaches.

In the project, a “Kadıköy Green Belt” is proposed along the eastern axis to develop a noise barrier along the E5 highway, to decrease the carbon monoxide density and to be used as an escape path in earthquakes. The structures on the way of the green belt are removed as part of the urban regeneration strategy. This strategy includes extended permaculture detention basis where retention basins, ponds of primary sedimentation & drainage trenches observed. .

In the Fikirtepe neighborhood, middle/low density residential areas are proposed, and a new transfer hub is designed for the city with the unification of the Kadıköy City Hall, Wedding Office and TCDD Söğütlüçeşme Station. Kuşdili Meadow is restored to its historical identity and is designed as a city lawn that will host games and festivals. Furthermore, it will assume the role of a transition zone between the new Municipality Square and the Kadıköy Pier. The project, which aims to offer contemporary urban spaces to İstanbul in order to meet its cultural, social and recreational needs, Yoğurtçu Park works as a grove area, as it did in the past; structures along the Bağdat Avenue façade of Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium are cleaned up to constitute a square, an underground parking lot is designed, Söğütlüçeşme Station is transformed into one of the most important gates of İstanbul and Salı Bazaar is kept and developed in its current location.