Gaziantep İstasyon Urban Regeneration Project is located in 505.330 m² area neighboring to Gaziantep Castle, The Zeugma Mosaic Museum and old downtown which is still an active commercial center for the city. The project covers the regeneration of old dwelling zone and industrial zone into a central business district embodying variable functions such as commercial areas, office buildings, tourism zones and dwelling areas. While the project area becomes a modern business center, industrial function of the area is relocated to a suburban industrial district.
Because of the location between the old downtown of Gaziantep and new city, the project area has the potential of being a bridge from old to new and from an architectural aspect from traditional to modern. We create this bridge by designing modern buildings which are inspired by traditional/local architectural texture with modern sense. Especially, the pedestrian way connecting The Gaziantep Castle to The Zeugma Mosaic Museum is designed to maintain the old city scale by low-rise shopping facilities.
The balance aimed to be created between traditional and new, generates the variety of architectural qualities in the project. The variety meets different expectations of people. While citizens experience various architectural textures, they feel the sense of belonging to the project area.
On the other side, the main axis from east to west, called Nizip Street, creates a modern city center vision with modern architectural sense. Providing different facilities such as hotel, office buildings, commercial areas and convention center; this street represents the new vision of the project encouraging the city to become a modern example among others.
As a developing city, Gaziantep’s commercial areas are stuck into old city center with lack of transportation, service access and healthy conditions. Thus, regeneration of the project area will create a modern commercial area in the city center. In addition to the commercial areas, residential zones in the project area suffer from lack of public transportation, parking and recreational areas. By the regeneration, residential areas will have easy access to these facilities.
Except from quality of functions, quality of the city life is aimed to be improved by urban decisions of the project. These are:
- Accessibility: It structures life quality for every user in the city.
- Diversity: It creates a sense of neighborhood character by mixing residential and commercial uses in a wide range types and sizes.
- Pedestrian Movement: It is supported by urban design principles for public health, environmental sustainability, and neighborhood vitality. Mixed use of functions like residential, shops, schools, mosques, services and amenities within walking distance of neighborhood reduces car trips and facilitates walking.
- Cycling: It is an efficient mode of transportation without the negative environmental effects or high installation costs of many other modes. Bicycle paths are designed all over the area creating a network encouraging the city life with bicycle.
In short, Gaziantep İstasyon Urban Regeneration Project is not only a physical rebuilding project but an Urban Regeneration Project aiming to recreate and redefine city life and vision in Gaziantep.
