Dear architects, urban planners, urban designers and project managers.
We are taking action to transform all the public spaces where the heart of Istanbul beats.
The goal we have in mind for our 16-million-strong city is to equip its renowned public spaces with aesthetics and functionality, and give Istanbulites the chance to start enjoying these spaces.
In this journey, we need bright ideas from you. Come and share with us any creative projects you may have for Istanbul’s focal points, and help us ensure that the people of Istanbul are in direct contact with their city. The projects will be evaluated by a jury, using different methodologies according to the content of each competition. The selected projects will come to life and become a part of Istanbul.
This new process begins with the International Taksim Urban Design Competition, which will gift the iconic Taksim Square with a landscape design that will be worthy of Taksim’s history and reputation. Alongside the 16 million people of Istanbul, you will have the chance to decide the future of this city through various competitions which will spread in waves across all of Istanbul’s public spaces.
Apply now with your project, and put your mark in the future of Istanbul.
Ekrem İmamoğlu
Mayor of Istanbul
WHAT ARE THE COMPETITIONS LIKE IN TURKEY?
The public administration in Turkey is subject to the Public Procurement Law in order to obtain a project. This law also defines the method of “design competitions” that allows the most qualified one to be selected among many ideas by an expert delegation, instead of choosing the low-cost labour that is brought by the usual tender methods.
Competitions, in accordance with its subject, are organized for the relevant professional groups. The submitted projects are evaluated by the jury committee that is gathered for the competition from various disciplines and different professional groups. The evaluation process is ensured by keeping the participants’ identification confidential. At the end of the process, all projects submitted for the competition are exhibited publicly.
Thereby, for relevant professional groups, students, the public and various stakeholders platforms are created for professional meetings, solidarities and discussions.
In the case of participatory, innovative and transparent competition method is chosen in order to increase the quality of any design to be obtained by the public administration; it results with qualified public spaces that has the identity of its context.
IPA COMPETITIONS
IPA Competitions is a unit that works under the roof of Istanbul Planning Agency in order to coordinate the competitions organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
Mail goal of IPA Competitions together with the competitions organized by İstanbul Metropolitian Municipality, is to ensure competition culture seemly throughout the country.
The competitions are subject to the “Regulation on Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Urban Design Projects, City and Regional Planning and Fine Art Works Competitions” of the Public Procurement Law.
An innovative system has been established in order to increase participation in the process of obtaining the projects of problematic or potential areas that can add value to the city with IPA Competitions. Before and during the competition, a multi-layered system is created by establishing relationships with relevant actors, aiming to strengthen the public perception of the place, and by giving roles to different stakeholders, including citizens, in the post-competition selection process.