Izmir Transportation Hub

SOUR Studio

• Architects

Eray Carbajo receives honorable mention in national architecture competition to design the transportation and interconnection hub of Izmir, Turkey. The avant-garde design proposal redefines the ground level and creates a new topography through its multi layered elevated parks, urban plazas and interconnecting green paths. Context Having to live, work and circulate in a never-ending mobility; the society revolves around the entity of mobility. Relocation of information, services, people and furniture reforms everyday life. Izmir, the port city of Turkey isn't very far from this form of kinesis. Throughout the history, the urban development of the city of Izmir has transformed itself into different entities; the state of relocation, the state of reorientation, a transit city and city of final destination. Regarding the urban development plan of the city of Izmir for the year of 2030, the city is envisioned to be connecting industrial cities with the capital city of Ankara within a short period of 3.5 hours. This indicates that the residing population, as well as, the visiting population and workforce will increase in the future. Cities can be viewed as organisms with vessel systems, their transportation systems connect two different places to each other. On the other hand, cities of separate segments and disconnected layers wouldn't be able to serve as sustainable cities. In this regard, the form of urban transportation should consider the needs of public and urban connectivity.

Design Eray Carbajo's transportation hub design proposal integrates metro, fast train, tram, bus systems, car park, bicycle roads and pedestrian friendly modes in order to achieve faster urban interconnectivity between populated districts of Izmir. The project investigates the real boundaries of a city and interconnectivity of design. The proposal aims to blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoors spaces, and blends in the building structure with the plazas.

The urban design puts into use the inefficient urban gaps by analyzing user experience. The environment-friendly design ensures an integrating web between industrial and residential areas, with a strategy of perpetual motion that creates continuous public flow, starting from the coastal promenade of Izmir with a flow back into the city center. The design blends and merges coastline, urban hubs, intercity connections and industrial districts.

The landscraper is on a path of continuous change within it's very form. Public parks and plazas aim to serve to all kinds of users; all Izmir urbanites and visitors, as well as, users with disabilities. The interlacing structure responds to the three different levels of elevation, providing opportunities for social-cultural interactions.

Therefore, Izmir Transportation Hub is a living and perpetually changing structure with over/underpasses that allow effortless flow.