Urban Extension, a proposal of a cruise port of Izmir

Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Ankara

Project idea

Locating in a very strategic place in Izmir, the current cruise port is highly inaccessible and with its dilapidated buildings, it can’t satisfy the future capacity demand of the incoming tourists. By having a meaningful end to the Kordon (seaside area of Izmir whose unity is blocked by the port) and to regain that area back to Izmirians again, this project aims to create new connections with the city, by proposing an urban square along with the sea square, public recreation areas, and as an alternative connection a pedestrian-bicycle oriented bridge. In addition to that, the capacity of the cruise port has been increased to host 5 ships at the same time when the weather is in good condition.

Project description

The name of the project which is "urban extension" comes from a concept of extending towards the sea. The extension was held generally by horizontally emphasized stripes locating at different levels. These stripes can be defined as these titles:
-Green stripe that provides the connection with Kordon (seaside)
-Grey stripe that provides the vehicular connection with the city
-Meeting Bridge
-Domestic Lines stripe
-Social Stripe
-International Lines Stripe.
The stripes are created to fulfill the requirements of the assigned functions and by coming together formed the cruise port complex.
The International Lines stripe and the Domestic Lines stripe are raised on a platform and beneath the area is created to fulfill the car parking, and providing coach platform areas. However, the Social stripe is raised on the ground forming a bridge structure connecting the two terminals. The Social stripe is created to provide a place to kill time while waiting.

Technical information

In the master plan, it is aimed to create two sea squares that can host some shows and activities in the Izmir Bay. Stepped watching areas are provided facing the sea square near the Kordon to watch general (city scale) shows or just the view. In addition to that, "meeting bridge" is created to both provide an alternative pedestrian-bicycle route towards the urban square or to directly inside to the International Lines. The other sea square is created between the domestic lines stripe and international lines stripe and the terraces of the buildings are facing towards the inner sea square again to provide watching areas.

Inside the building complexes, the control of the circulation is provided by creating two zones:
-Departure
-Arrival.
These two zones are connected at the ground floor; however, separated on upper floors via elliptic gallery space whose area is changing on each floor and bears some of the vertical circulation (in international lines stripe the vertical circulation couldn't continuously be provided from the central void because of the customs). The service areas are located near this central void. The central elliptical void is capped by a wavy roof that bulges on top of the gallery space.
In general, while approaching the city the contrast of the verticality of the meeting bridge's post and the stripes can be observed in city silhouette.