Kadıköy Wharf Meadow

In the Kadıköy Square project, the aim is to address transportation needs while optimizing economic, social, environmental, and financial conditions. The focus is on integrating urban spaces such as squares, parks, and open areas with social and cultural units.

Design Objectives:

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Orientation: Prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle-friendly infrastructure.
• Preservation of Urban and Historical Fabric: Protecting the historical integrity of the area.
• Relevance and Integration with Urban Landscape: Ensuring seamless integration with the urban environment.
• Integration of Urban Voids: Utilizing and enhancing underutilized urban spaces.
• Integrated Transportation: Coordinating with various transportation modes.
• Sustainability: Incorporating sustainable practices.

Design Principles

Quay: The Kadıköy Waterfront, central to the public transportation network, currently serves as a transit area rather than a place for interaction, diminishing its public identity. Lack of recreational green spaces is also noted. The proposal includes Rıhtım Çayırı as part of a green coastal system, aiming to integrate idle coastal areas into daily life and create vibrant urban spaces. Qualified buildings along the quay will be restored and repurposed for public functions.

Transportation (Public Transportation Focus): Over time, the waterfront has become a pivotal transfer point for highway public transportation, eroding its coastal character due to at-grade relations. A new public transportation focus is proposed north of the railway land to segregate pedestrian, vehicle, and public transportation routes. Connectivity with Söğütlüçeşme and other hubs via a new tram line aims to enhance coastal accessibility and reduce vehicle dependency in Kadıköy’s urban core.

Dock Street: Rıhtım Street, heavily trafficked by public transportation stops, currently disrupts connectivity between the waterfront and the city. As part of the strategy to limit private vehicle use in Kadıköy’s urban core, Rıhtım Street will be narrowed and transformed into a service road. During the day, it will function as a pedestrian route, maintaining an arcade-like character along the shore and fostering semi-open public spaces.

Pier Square: Improving and preserving İskele Square’s historic character, housing landmarks like the Haldun Taner Stage and Kadıköy Pier, is prioritized. A proposed new building will enhance square amenities and provide sea-facing viewing areas as an extension of the green system, adding diversity to the relatively flat landscape of Quay Meadow.

Festival Meadow: Replacing the Ispark area, the Festival Meadow will host year-round events, extending Kadıköy’s nightlife and entertainment culture. It is envisioned as a major city-scale focal point for cultural activities.

Söğütlüçeşme Street: Although outside the project area, Söğütlüçeşme Street plays a crucial role in the proposed transportation system. The section from the Bull Statue to the beach will adopt limited vehicle transportation, ensuring pedestrian comfort. The planned tram line on this street will connect Söğütlüçeşme with the proposed transportation focus, enhancing accessibility and promoting pedestrian-friendly urban environments.