It's late afternoon and the trendy youth ofIstanbul frequents the old warehouses in the Tersanewhich is hosting an exhibition of contemporary art. While the DJs jam to their consoles, visitors admire and buy the works of art. Or maybe they're simply watching the sun set over the Golden Horn while sipping a cocktail. This is Istanbul as it likes to define itself.
It's certainly a cliché that sticks to the skin of this mythical city. The gateway to the East in Europe for some, the gateway to the West in Asia for others. It's a cliché that's impossible to ignore, so much so that it permeates the spirit of this city. Nowhere else, in fact, can you find a place where Europe and the Middle East merge so well; where two cultures that are sometimes considered antagonistic rub shoulders in the same place. a formidable laboratory for the trends of the future.
Istanbul is a rebel in Turkey's geopolitical kaleidoscope. At a time when the country is becoming increasingly conservative, Istanbul proclaims its progressive spirit. For several years now, the city has been playing the antithesis to central Turkish power. The city's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, wants to run against the omnipotent current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in 2023. Nothing is certain in this future presidential election... But it will at least say whether Istanbul, with its liberal tradition, will take control of Turkey's destiny. Or vice versa...
Whatever the outcome of the 2023 elections, Istanbul will continue its leap into the future. a contemporaneity tinged with values that tend to characterise the major cities of Western Europe. This is particularly reflected in his ambitious plans for the development of this city of some 16 million inhabitants. For several years now, infrastructure has been a daily feature of the city's life. Not only are they reshaping its face, they are also shaping its international image.
A generation of dynamic local investors is taking advantage of Istanbul's cosmopolitan nature to give the city a more contemporary dimension, where creativity and culture are often the driving forces. It is in these areas that politics and the conception of Turkish society are also confronted.
Indeed, Istanbul's major development projects along the Bosphorus are not just real estate operations. They go hand in hand with a desire to become centres of creativity in Europe and living spaces open to all generations. Starting - surprisingly - with Galataportthe new district built around the international cruise terminal.
Cruises and culture go hand in hand at Galataport Istanbul
Galataport Istanbul short on 1.2 kilometres along the BosphorusIn a historic site belonging to the State. But it had lain derelict for several decades, and the municipality of Istanbul decided to revitalise it.
Opened last October, this is a a seafront where contemporary buildings - office blocks, flats, a shopping centre and the cruise terminal - alternate with historic buildings. This development will have required 1.7 billion dollars from the private group behind Galataport Istanbul.
The heart of the district is a huge 29,000 m² cruise terminalthe first in the world to be underground - a technological feat. It is capable of accommodating three cruise ships and up to 15,000 passengers a day. " Some 200 boats a year are expected" says Mehmet Bali, Marketing Director, Galataport İstanbul.
Surrounding the terminal is a shopping centre with 250 shops, a five-star luxury hotel, offices and a museum. " We have in fact created a lifestyle centre, with areas for gastronomy, the arts, culture and shopping.. Galataport Istanbul is set to become a key meeting point for locals and tourists alike." adds Mehmet Bali. Between 15 and 20 million visitors could take an annual stroll through the district...
With the opening of the luxurious Peninsula Istanbul in early 2023The Galataport district will be fully booked for players in the MICE. The hotel is housed in a series of historic buildings, which are complemented by a modern lobby. congress. The hotel entrance is located in the Karaköy Passenger Terminal, built in a rationalist art deco style in the late 1930s. Next door, the shopping centre, housed in the original passenger terminal, can also accommodate private events.
Another venue that should appeal to the MICE industry: the future Istanbul Modern museum. The spectacular transparent structure, the work of the architect Renzo Pianoalready stretches along the Bosphorus. The museum is due to open in September 2022. It will feature a café, a bookshop and a space for special events. All in partnership with the Centre Pompidou Paris.
Scheduled to open on the same date, the Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture will take up residence on the roof of the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSGSU) campus. Managed by the local authority, the museum will feature Ottoman art and a collection of Western painters, including Bonnard, Derain, Matisse and Picasso. Two museums that raise Galataport to the rank of cultural hub. And already attracting art galleries and creative workshops.
(Photos: model of the Peninsula, the interior of the cruise terminal and the Tophane clock tower with the new Istanbul Modern Museum- LC)
Tersane Istanbul dedicated to the arts
But it's not just Galataport Istanbul that is asserting its role in the arts sector. Near the Golden Horn, Tersane Istanbul Project is another area where the arts and creative industries have found a new home. their development.
Tersane Istanbul has no shortage of ambitions. Turkish President Erdoğan has called for a gigantic project in 2019, the $2.4 billion project involves the development of 2 km of shoreline along the historic Golden Horn shipyard.
Today, the district is taking shape. Abandoned or neglected former naval warehouses - including the oldest, created by Sultan Mehmet II in 1455 - are gradually being restored. Four or five 4 or 5 star urban resorts, flats in two or three storey buildings, villas, shops, museums, an open-air theatre and a dedicated MICE structure will be built on the site.. The whole on a surface of 242 000 m² with views of the Bosphorus and the historic city of Istanbul.
The development of Tersane Istanbul is also intended to be particularly respectful of the environment. " The most important factor is this unique coastline. We were determined not to disturb the site's highly original relationship with the sea, where the harmony of the structures blends into the Corne d'Or." describes thearchitect Murat Tabanlioğlu.
The architect is, along with Ali Güreli, president of the Contemporary Istanbul art fairthe soul of this ambitious project. " We were inspired by the development of Hamburg Hafen City, as culture is at the heart of life in Tersane Istanbul." explains Ali Güreli.
The hotel projects are planning more than a thousand rooms. One of these will be the ultra-luxury Rixos Tersane resort. It should be managed by the Accor group.
Two museums with spectacular architecture will also give the project a cultural identity. This is the first Women's museum in Turkey and Sadberk Hanım Museum. Owned by a private foundation, it boasts a collection of 20,000 works of art. The Women's Museum will celebrate the contribution of women to society.
Tersane Istanbul kicks off in 2023
Another emblematic site, the slipway at Valide (Impératrice) will be coming back to life. " It's a historic structure and we're rebuilding its characteristic iron roof. The slipway will become the gateway to Tersane Istanbul from the sea." says the architect. Restaurants and event spaces will be housed inside this gigantic hall.
Cultural activities will be at the heart of Tersane Istanbul's economic activity. Following the example of Contemporary Istanbul, the local contemporary art fair. It has become a place of exchange and trade in the arts, not only for Turkey but also increasingly for the Near East.
" We will open the first phase of the projectincluding the Sadberk Hanim museum and the events hall in 2023The second phase should be completed by October 2024." Murat Tabanlioğlu predicts.
In the meantime, the partially rebuilt historic warehouses are already buzzing with life. They host concerts and artistic events. And the golden youth of Istanbul is buzzing.
(Photos: view of the Tersane Istanbul project, sketches of the Valide slipway and the Rixos Tersane Resort - Tersane Istanbul images)
