Han Tümertekin

Side by Side is inspired by the everyday urban mobility, transitional spaces, and urban travel found in Istanbul’s unique geography. It is interested in the ways in which “mobility makes place” and explores the possibilities and potentials of bringing people together, side by side in places they have not been before. In Venice, Side by Side provides a contextual re-interpretation of Istanbul. This spatial intervention enables a pause, a stopover in the circulation of Biennale visitors and invites them to be side by side on the water edge, offering vista and relaxation area on top and a shaded area underneath. This project that enables possibilities for living together at the water’s edge is also intended to inspire different cities.

Image 1 – How will we live together?
Exploring the water’s edges. Istanbul – a city split by water, namely the Bosphorous. A unique geography where the sea and the land meet at the same level enabling a vibrant public life at the waterfronts of the city. This geography also provides series of transitional spaces where inhabitants criss-cross the Bosphorous as part of their daily routines in the city. It is inspiring to observe this everyday urban mobility, transitional spaces, and urban travel. It is also challenging to explore the possibilities and potentials of bringing people together, side by side, in places they did not co-exist before. Is it possible to bring various groups of people together in novel forms and enable new sets of unpredictable encounters – a new spatial contract at the water’s edges?

Image 2 – Sneak peek of the project
Working and Thinking Through Collaboration. Rethinking the role of the architect as a convener of different disciplines, bringing together different perspectives, voices, and ideas, side by side. Each discipline anchored in its own assumptions, strengths, weaknesses, and blind-spots. Starting from scratch, starting over and over again, asking the basic questions. The challenge of translating ideas into specific designs, spatial interventions. Exploring the possibilities of creating new meeting points, novel vistas, urban stops, different forms of socialization/coming together at the water’s edges. Istanbul and Venice-thinking simultaneously about these two cities: historical continuities, geographical similarities, different contexts, contextual re-interpretations. Thinking through and beyond these two cities – is it possible to inspire cities alike?

Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, Nefes Assos, Semih & Nükhet Özmen, Museum Card İstanbul, Stoneline, VitrA, Aslı Atay, Bilsar, Füsun & Faruk Eczacıbaşı, Kastamonu Entegre, Schüco, Murat Öztürk, Yapıkur, Siska, Jotun, Nurus, Bilişim Vadisi, Koleksiyon Mobilya

Construction Management: Ceren Özşahin, Zeynep Tümertekin – Studio Mada
Architectural Assistants: Ali Gürer, Erman Soyman
Structure: Ahmet Demir, Kimia Jozaghi
Video Production: VERfilm
Assistant Director: Ozan Yoleri
Cinematography: Ahmet Aslan Mahmut
Sound Recording: Alper Çağan Arslan
Editing: Enes Tural
Sound Mix: Ahmet Burak Gürbüz
Communication Management: Selin Süter – Artı Communication
Graphic Design: Emre Çıkınoğlu
Models: Murat Küçük – K Atölye