Public Ground

PUBLIC GROUND is a castle square, marketplace and a municipality project located in Eğirdir, Isparta, Turkey. The project aims to transform the currently degraded, undefined public square and transform it into an attractive gathering place with respecting to the cultural heritage of the town.

The current form of the town is the result of the construction of a causeway which links the two islands to the main shore. After the completion of the causeway the waterfront changed drastically as a result of accumulation of silt that was carried by the currents. The town’s urban fabric has been altered many times by fires. Today the town presents a rich collage of the incremental changes and the city square became undefined upon these changes. The PUBLIC GROUND deals with the redesign of the town hall. It connects two shores of the lake and the castle gate to the city square within the inner street.

The municipality building is made up of a dispersed structure that has been meticulously interwoven, particularly at the levels that are connected to the ground. The wide spaces created between the building blocks help to clarify functional distinctions and establish relationships, while the fragmented structure aids in packing functions in areas that suit their demands. The structure formation, urban and building circulation, and landscape all work together as a single entity.

Also, PUBLIC GROUND aims to connect two significant city historical sites: the Eğirdir Castle and the Hızır Bey Mosque, by creating a circulation path as well as connecting the two shore lines by the inner street through the municipality building.

Location: Eğirdir, Isparta, Turkey
Programme: Defining the castle square, marketplace and designing a municipality building