Atatürk Cultural Center, one of the most important symbols
of the history of Turkey's modern architecture, an irreplaceable part of the
city's memory for all of Taksim Square and Istanbul, has been reinterpreted
with today's possibilities and approaches with the renovation project
undertaken by Tabanlıoğlu Architecture. After the foundation of the renovation
project was laid, Atatürk Cultural Center reunited with Istanbul and citizens
on the 98th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, at the end of 32
months. As Aspen, we are happy to be one of the solution partners of the
Atatürk Cultural Center Renovation Project with our interior SEPERA partition
walls and products.
History
The story of Atatuk Cultural Center, which was opened in
1969, begins with the invitation of French urban designer Henri Prost to Turkey
in 1936 by Atatürk to prepare a master plan for the modernization of Istanbul.
With the suggestion of Prost, the French architect Auguste
Perret prepared a project for the Atatürk Cultural Center. However, this
project could not be implemented due to the 2nd World War and its financial
constraints. Afterwards, another project was prepared by Rükneddin Güney and
Feridun Kip, but this project could not be implemented as the contractor
changed due to financial reasons.
The last institution to undertake the construction of the project was the Ministry of Public Works. The project proposal developed by Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, who works here, was found suitable for implementation by Prof Gerhard Graubner, who was an expert in theater at the time. The building, which was initially thought to be only an opera house, became a 'cultural center' with the cooperation of static, installation, stage technique and acoustic experts and was opened under the name of Istanbul Culture Palace in 1969.
The Istanbul Cultural Palace became unusable after being
heavily damaged due to a fire that broke out on 27 November 1970. It was
redesigned by Hayati Tabanlıoğlu after the fire. It was reopened on October 6,
1978 under the name of Atatürk Cultural Center with the changes made in
interior spaces and installations.
The building, which Hayati Tabanlıoğlu gave its final shape,
is considered a typical example of the simple and functional architectural
understanding of its period. Especially the high sofa of the Great Hall, the
deep and wide stage, and the advanced mechanical capacity of this stage
consisting of various elevators are the basic elements that make up the
character of the building.
It has been suggested that the building be demolished in 2005 as it has completed its economic life. However, as a result of the intense reactions, it was registered as the 1st group cultural property by the Istanbul Conservation Board No. 2 in November 2007. Tabanlıoğlu Architecture was commissioned in 2018 for the planned renovation project.
“New” Atatürk Cultural Center
The new cultural complex consists of five sections with a total area of 95,000 m². In the new AKM, there is an opera hall with a capacity of 2038 and a theater with a capacity of 805. Unlike the previously built flat and rectangular halls, the new opera house is in the form of a horseshoe. The facade of the horseshoe-shaped main hall was also defined as the second facade of the building and was emphasized with red ceramics. The new Atatürk Cultural Center, which preserves the original facade and the main mass, makes it possible to broadcast the representations played inside to the square with its “media facade” feature.
In addition to the main halls, there is a 683 m² AKM Library with two floors and three balconies in the building. The library contains resources in the fields of music, art, architecture and design. In the new AKM, the first two floors of which are used as exhibition spaces, there is a three-storey music platform, music recording studio, children's art center, design shop, multi-purpose hall, book cafe, co-working space, gallery, pocket cinema and a parking lot for 432 cars.
