Regarding the ‘Greening of Istanbul’ text, I remember that one year ago I posted in Plataforma Arquitectura a project developed by FOA -Foreign Office Arquitects- in Umraniye, Istanbul. This is a project for a new shopping mall in the eastern borough of Umraniye, one of the first areas of the city that had received waves of immigrants and was a former squatter district.
When I posted FOA project one year ago I was not aware of the urban dynamics of the city, yet I found the project’s architectonic approach very interesting. Now after reading Savvas recommended text I’ve realized the socio-political context that expains why these urban projects are taking place in these areas of Istambul. As said in ‘The Greening if Istambul’ text,‘Ümraniye, is what Sultanbeyli might aspire to be.’‘
It seems that the objective image they are looking for looks very trendy and western. This is FOA project in images. Hope you can read some spanish.
The link for the original article here
FOA / Meydan Umraniye Retail Complex & Multiplex
Obra: Meydan – Umraniye Retail Complex & Multiplex
Ubicación: Estambul, Turquía
Arquitectos: FOA Foreign Office Architects, Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo
Colaboradores: Friedrich Ludewig, Kenichi Matzusawa, Chris Yoo; Esquemas / Diseño Detalles: Friedrich Ludewig, Christian Wittmeir, Samina Azhar, Andrei Gheorghe, Emory Smith, Ebru Simsek, Eduarda Lima
Promotor: Metro Group AG
Año de realización: 2007
Superficie construida: 55.000m2
Coste de la obra: € 34 millones
Fotógrafos: Cristóbal Palma, Friedrick Ludewig