Kurbağalıdere Valley Idea Project Competition

Kadıköy district is regarded as an important center due to its location, potential areas and demographic structure, within the entire İstanbul Metropolitan area. The Kurbağalıdere Valley, which is defined as the competition area, is a natural threshold between the Kadıköy Center established area and the settlement area, which is developing all through Bağdat Avenue. Although the valley, which used to be a completely green area in the past, has lost a major part of this characteristic today, this green area identity can be partly seen in the area opened from Söğütlüçeşme to Kalamış Bay. Kuşdili Meadow located within the competition area has been defined as Green Park in the Construction Plan. In this respect, the preservation of the urban identity can be possible with the continuation of planning decisions as a principle.   

All along Kurbağalıdere, starting from D100 in the North, the borders of the valley, which open to Kalamış Bay and affect the competition area, are indicated in the map (Appendix 2).

Söğütlüçeşme Station which stands as a station and/or terminal for the rail system line which passes over the valley and divides the valley area into two, metrobus and other wheeled mass transportation systems, is one of the constant physical data. The significant transfer/station points within İstanbul intracity transportation network consist generally of examples which cannot reach the status they deserve within the relationship they form with the city or within the whole of their own spatial constructs. Although these stations are focus points fort he city due to each being dense transit areas, they are insufficient in creating an urban, spatial and structural identity. Although “Söğütlüçeşme and its immediate surroundings” gain a significant status within the İstanbul mass transportation network, they cannot create their place and significance within the urban identity. Marmaray’s transit to Söğütlüçeşme, which is the transportation focus of the competition area, the Station’s passenger capacity function will also increase. If it is taken into consideration that the passenger capacity will increase, a change may be expected in the physical conditions and superstructure of the Station, without having to make changes in the Station’s current transit substructure (rail levels, number of tracks, etc.).

In addition, with functions such as, Kadıköy Mayorship and Marriage Office, which are located within the competition area, this area is an important focal point where public services are dense. In general terms, The Kurbağalıdere Valley is surrounded with residences, offices and mostly commercial areas. When Kadıköy center, Söğütlüçeşme, Hasanpaşa, Bahariye commercial areas, Tepe Nautilus Shopping Mall and Akasya Shopping Mall which is being constructed in the northern border and will be opened to service soon and Optimum Shopping Mall, which is located at the point where it is connected to the area through D100 highway are taken into consideration, it is possible to see that the current commercial activities are dense in the immediate surroundings of the valley.     

The gradual increase in the number of offices and commercial areas affects the transportation system negatively. It will not a surprise that the increase in commercial areas in the area to turn transportation into an inextricable chaos. However, despite this situation, when the physical conditions of the current settlement areas in the valley’s base are taken into consideration, these may be renewed.

Kuşdili Meadow has been defined as a green park in the construction plan. Kuşdili Meadow is an important central focal point in the competition area. Due to its meeting the relaxation, entertainment and green area needs of Kadıköy residents for years with its historical identity, it has a significant place in the city’s social past as well. It takes its name from the Kuşdili Creek, which we know today as Kurbağalıdere. The Historical Marks of the Kuşdili Area, which is located within the green area where Kurbağalıdere opens to Kalamış Bay, go back to the antique Khalhedeon Harbour, 680 BC. It has been used respectively as functions such as, grove-meadow-excursion spot, bazaar area and lastly as a parking area in accordance to its recent history until today. A highly important intracity road, which connects Kadıköy center and Moda settlement area with D100, Bağdat Avenue, Ziverbey, Söğütlüçeşme Station, Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, Kadıköy Municipality, Kadıköy Marriage Office, Üsküdar and Hasanpaşa directions, passes through the competition area.    

Despite the pedestrian and vehicle density caused by Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, which is one of the other significant focal points, especially on days where matches are played, when the Dynamics it provides for social life are taken into consideration, its value and location within the area is regarded as important. Therefore, doing research about its potential in terms of its participation to city life not only on match days, but in daily life as well is significant.

2. PURPOSE OF THE COMPETITION   

While the project titled Kurbağalıdere Valley Idea Project Competition was being developed, it was taken care that the project provided a suitable environment which allowed the development of  cultural, artistic, scientific and environmental values through competition; the selection of economical, functional and innovative solutions to be chosen among many choices; designation of the project owners and encouragement of fine arts, in addition to the development of related occupations, establishment of ethical values and these values to gain international competition power.     

3. TYPE and METHOD OF THE COMPETITION   

It is a national, independent and single step idea project.

4. THE SUBJECT AND SCOPE OF THE COMPETITION   

The competition is about the construction of urban locations which are used for public services, such as Kuşdili Meadow, Salı Pazarı (Tuesday Bazaar), Söğütlüçeşme Train Station, Metrobus Station, Kadıköy Municipality Service Building and Marriage Office, Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium and Fenerbahçe Sport Facilities, Kadıköy Fire Station, Kurbağalıdere and Yoğurtçu Park, which are on the 2.8 km valley, which includes Kurbağalıdere and its surrounding area between D100 and the sea, within a framework of a new vision and strategies.    

During the project preparation process, “transparency” and “objectivity” requirements have been determined as the guiding principle. It is contended that, a competition with equal opportunities will create projects of different quality and frame of mind.   

Kurbağalıdere Valley in its entirety has been considered with all its existing functions stated above and it is aimed at handling potential focus areas such as Kuşdili Meadow, which is located within the valley and has lost its former value, in a manner that gives priority to Kadıköy’s natural and physical data, social and cultural needs and to be designed within an urban context. The competition aims at transforming the competition area into a center of attraction and allowing the area to gain new functions, which will meet today’s needs as well.   

The competition jury will choose (5) five projects as equivalents. Kadıköy Municipality will display the evaluated projects in an open area near the competition area, in order to inform the public.

5. NAME, ADDRESS and CONTACT INFORMATION of the ADMINISTRATION

Name   : Kadıköy Municipality Planning and Project Directorate
Address : Hasanpaşa Mah. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Cad. No:2 Kadıköy, İstanbul PK:34722
Tel   : 0216 542 50 00 / 1417, 1416
Fax   : 0216 349 98 81 – 0216 414 38 76
E-mail   : [email protected]
Website : www.kadikoy.bel.tr