SANTRAL ISTANBUL MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS & ENERGY MUSEUM
DESIGN BY EMRE AROLAT, HAN TUMERTEKIN,
MURAT TABANLIOGLU & NEVZAT SAYIN
SANTRAL ISTANBUL MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS & ENERGY MUSEUM
DESIGN BY EMRE AROLAT, HAN TUMERTEKIN,
MURAT TABANLIOGLU & NEVZAT SAYIN
Istanbul Bilgi University seeked for the renovation of Silahtaraga
Power Plant, a typical modern industrial setting formed between 1910′s and
1950′s, to be transformed into a museum, recreational and educational center.
This institution covers a site of 107.000 m², between the rivers Alibeykoy and
Kagithane, at the end of Golden Horn that had been the center and main scene of
Istanbul for many centuries, that had been discredited and become worn from the
end of 19th century to 1990’s and that has started to glare once again with
many projects after being rediscovered in last 15 years.
At the first phase of the project studies, in order to open up the
ways for convincing conservation and renovation approaches, an interpretation
base including all accessible layers of the setting was aimed. At the end of
those investigations, the results proved that the traces of the preliminary
project prepared in 1910′s were kept on but its strict decisions have been
loosened through 40 years of construction, formal invasions have been done with
pragmatic moves, the engine&boiler buildings and employee apartments
accommodated typical features of the industrial era they were built up although
they had diverse stylistic qualities and building structures. Those data, that
was combined by the spontaneous sense of place that came into being by the time
spent at the site and with the deepening of the investigations, entered into
the process as valuable clues of the design decisions of renovation and
conservation. The main denominator of various fragmets of this quite spread
project has been the careful renovation approach that puts into consideration
the situation and the subject in hand, and that each specific time appreciates
it once again.
Among the various buildings that were dealt with in this context,
the two large boiler houses, that were demolished years ago and of which only
foundation traces existed, were handeled with an interpretation that implied to
their new function, in a way of abstraction in the design. The two buildings,
that were detached but stood very close to each other to complete the
surrounding building mass, were planned in a way proper to the volumetric
existence of their older functions, but with a kind of “timeless” approach on
surface qualities. The most prevailing factor of the design principles for the
museum building was the motivation of being a part of the place without an
engagement to a specific time segment, in contrast to habitual attempt of being
contemporary, holding just the current architectural specifications and being
disintegrated from the historical context it stands.
Just like the old buildings, new structures are composed of a dense
and heavy inner core and a light, semi-transparent exterior sheathing that
covers the core without touching to the possible extend. Instead of the punced
state created by the walls and windows on the surfaces of the old buildins, a
metal mesh that this time homogenises the sense of the whole building is simply
placed on the concrete base. In this sense, it was considered that the
buildings should evoke a kind of insignaficance by intervening into the aura of
the environment at daytime, but should turn out to be a simple lighthouse with
the interior lighting of the museum that makes the metal mesh invisible at night
time.
The building was designed with an attempt that it should keep its
existence by being insistently intraverted, despite the glorious architectural
activity that rises in capitalist liberal societies and that changes nearly all
buildings into museum objects with its embraced criterions and star architect
mechanisms. It was a matter of interest how this Santral Istanbul Museum will be
faced with the “Society of Spectacle.” If it will be possible, it is clear that
there will be need for at least a few years to comprehend its state.
Santral Istanbul Museum Contemporary Art’s Project
information had taken by Emre Arolat Architect’s web page. Some photographs had
taken by Archdaily and photographer Thomas Mayer’s web page.
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SANTRAL ISTANBUL ENERGY MUSEUM
The Silahtarağa Power Plant's first two engine rooms, built in 1913
and 1921 respectively, were reinforced and converted into the santralistanbul Museum of Energy, retaining as many original elements as
possible.
The first step in the power plant’s conversion to Museum of Energy was to halt the corrosion of the turbine
generators and other machinery which had set in as a result of disuse since the
plant’s decommissioning in 1983. Teams of experts moved in to clean up the
machinery and apply a protective anti-corrosion sealant. Thereafter, the number
one turbine generator group was restored to its original appearance of 1931.
Meanwhile, the number three turbine generator group, which had been dismantled
when production stopped at the plant, was preserved exactly as left.
In the Museum of Energy's number one and two Engine Rooms,
visitors currently have the chance to see the AEG, Brown Boveri, Siemens and
Thomson Houston made turbine generator groups. These were the key components of
electricity generation at the Silahtarağa Power Plant and reflect the advanced
technology of the age.
The Control Room,
which oversaw the generation of electricity and its transmission to different
districts around Istanbul, has been preserved intact, complete with elaborate
control devices and equipment. Throughout the long and painstaking preservation
process, the exact position of missing or damaged items was marked and
surviving items cleaned and sealed against corrosion.
The ground floor of the Museum of Energy is
given over to the Energy Play Zone, a fun-meets-science space featuring 22
interactive exhibits. It’s here that visitors get to generate electricity
themselves, to morph into batteries, make magnetic sculptures, struggle with a
stubborn suitcase, touch thousands of volts without thinking twice and dabble
in many more scientific experiments. Besides, most of the panels, seminars and
talks realized within Santral Istanbul since
its foundation, were held at the Cinema/Seminar Room situated on the ground
floor of the Museum of Energy.
http://www.santralistanbul.org/pages/index/enerji-muzesi/en/
EMRE AROLAT ARCHITECTS
EAA - Emre Arolat Architects was founded in May 2004
by Emre Arolat and Gonca Paşolar in Istanbul, as the continuation of Emre
Arolat’s architectural practices which he started at his parents’ office,
Arolat Architects, as an associate designer in 1987. Since its establishment,
EAA has turned out to be one of the largest architectural offices in Turkey
with a team of more than 50 people, with the attendance of Sezer Bahtiyar and
reintegration of parents Şaziment and Neşet Arolat as partners. The firm
continues its practice at the offices in İstanbul and London with projects that
range from mixed-use buildings occupying millions of square meters, to a small
place of worship counting only five hundred square meters.
EAA has taken
place in many prestigious and important national and international projects.
Cooperation with worldwide known engineering and consultancy firms has
extensively been performed, which is being carried out by means of several
computer programming of the latest technology. The projects are being developed
completely in three dimensional models, from concept design to the details in
depth, which is also valid for coordination with engineering systems. Design is
pursued till the smallest detail, comprehensively elaborated, solved and drawn.
Further than the power of design, the amount and quality of detailing, and
supportive supervision in all stages of construction has gained special
exclusivity to EAA services among its so-called equivalents in the market. The
belief that the exact success of a design may only be enhanced by extensive
detailing, in all disciplines, has reached to commitment to a full design
package.
The group also
has a considerable presence in the academic world. The founder Emre Arolat has
been active at various schools of architecture with lectures, jury
contributions and studio tutorage, such as Berlage Institute at Delft, Pratt
Institute at New York, Middle East Technical University at Ankara, CEPT
University at Ahmedabad, several institutions in Istanbul like Mimar Sinan Fine
Arts Academy, Istanbul Technical University, Yıldız Technical University and
Bilgi University where was among the founders of Graduate Program. Apart from
himself, group leaders in EAA perform in similar contributions.
Architectural
significance of the group was supported by many awards, most notably of which
are Aga Khan Award, The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture -
Mies van der Rohe Award, World Architecture Festival Awards and AR Emerging
Architecture Award.
http://www.emrearolat.com/the-studio/about/
HAN TÜMERTEKİN
Han Tümertekin is a
practicing architect based in Istanbul and principal of Mimarlar + Han
Tümertekin that he established in 1986. Previously, he worked in Paris as an
architect. His work include residential, commercial and institutional projects
primarily in Turkey, as well as in Netherlands, Japan, United Kingdom, France,
China, Mongolia and Kenya.
Mr. Tümertekin was trained in
architecture at Istanbul Technical University and completed graduate studies in
historic preservation at the University of Istanbul. In addition to his built
work, he has been teaching architecture since 1992 at several universities,
such as; Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Istanbul Technical
University; Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; Ecole Spéciale
d'Architecture, Paris; Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul; Uludag
University, Bursa; Strasbourg, Ecole d'Architecture. He is among the founders
of the graduate programme in architecture at Bilgi University, Istanbul, where he
still teaches.
Mr. Tümertekin’s work have
been widely published in international architectural journals, including Domus,
Abitare, AV, Oris, Architecturel Review, L'architecture
d'Aujourd'hui, the World Atlas of Contemporary Architecture, the Phaidon
Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture etc. A monograph of
his work was published by Harvard University Press in 2006.
Recipient of several prizes of
architecture, Tümertekin was presented a 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture
for the B2 House. He served on the Aga Khan 2007 Master Jury and he is a member
of the awards steering committee.
http://mimarlar.com/CA34E1C3C57549D1A92DEFD076009888/han_tumertekin
MURAT TABANLIOĞLU
After graduating from IEL, he studied architecture at Vienna
Technical University. After graduating in 1992 he returned to Istanbul. He
founded Tabanlioglu Architects in cooperation with Dr. Hayati Tabanlioglu in
Istanbul in 1990. Besides his atelier program at Bilgi University, he lectures
at universities and various international platforms and serves as a juror
at academic programs and competitions. Murat Tabanlioglu is a Chartered Member
of RIBA.
TABANLIOĞLU ARCHITECTS
Tabanlioglu Architects develop innovative, yet efficient and
economically viable design alternatives, considering the uniqueness
of the place and the individuality of requirements.
The practice focuses on the matters of building in global
terms; yet for the achievement of best design quality the architects
evaluate the expressions of each country, region and zone,
distinctively.
Every location offers special conveniences or engenders challenges
that require specific solutions. Identifying the impact of the
building on the local landscape and present values is as important
as the architectural design of the building, in accordance with the
needs, as well as new technologies in the changing world.
We advocate transparent spaces being an extension of public
zones in the urban context, aiming to motivate an interactive,
lively social mood; our architectural attitude aspire new social
routines towards a more extrovert urban lifestyle. We trust the
transitivity and synergy born out of architecture will encourage the
environmental transformation.
Visionary thinking and innovative approaches need collaboration
with other engineering and planning disciplines. We also believe
that architects must cooperate in a spirit of global alliance and
commit to sustainable patterns of production, to contribute to
global progress by means of the man-made environment.
http://www.tabanlioglu.com/ABOUT.html
NEVZAT SAYIN
NSMH
Founded by Nevzat
Sayın in Kuzguncuk, 1986, with the aim of architectural services. He graduated from Ege University,
Faculty of Fine Arts, Architecture Department in 1978. Worked with Cengiz
Bektaş for post-academic education through 1980-1984.
The firm was
restructured in 1992, with a sense of participatory management and execution.
This participatory approach, as well as other architectural groups and
disciplines in order, inter – Office teams, which forms the basis for an
efficient working environment. The core team of 14 architects with a flexible
organizational structure but at the same time has a structure that can change
scale depending on needs. Up to this day, NMH has created 270 projects,
totaling 3.000.000 square meters of indoor and 12.000.000 square meters of
outdoor space.
Conducted project
studios in Bursa Uludağ University and Yıldız Technical University.
Founding member of
the Postgraduate Architecture Program in Bilgi University.
Attended summer
schools and juries for various schools of architecture in Turkey.
Published essays and
interviews on architecture. Participated in exhibitions of both architecture
and photography.
The projects, Ürgüp
– "A Void Below Ground" (1990), Gön Leather Factory 1 (1992), Gön
Leather Factory 2 (1996) and Tekirdağ/Saray "The White House On An Empty
Land" (1998) were awarded by the Chamber of Architects
Aga Han Prize of
Architecture Nominee with his restorations and new buildings in Dikili Yahşibey
Village twice.
The book
"Nevzat Sayın-Dreams-Thoughts-Works" was published in 2004.
http://www.yahsiworkshops.com/eng/nevzat-sayin.html
