Ipekyolu City Hall

Democratic and participatory governance models should begin at the local government level. Municipal buildings of today should be designed as open, transparent, and vibrant spaces that integrate with the city, reflecting this understanding. The municipality buildings, as outlined in the competition specifications, embody a ‘new’, ‘participatory’, and ‘inclusive’ governance model and should be designed accordingly.

The proposal for the Van İpekyolu Municipality Center features three spines aligned along the north-south axis. The first spine facilitates service and vehicle access, situated between the school and the municipality building. Entrances and exits to the underground parking garage are located along this spine. The second spine is integral to the internal organization, linking municipal functions and cultural units. It provides access from Celal Bayar Street and İnkılap 2nd Street, organizing entrances accordingly. The Municipality Building faces Celal Bayar Street, while the cultural units face İnkılap 2nd Street, allowing the center to function together or separately as needed. These two functional groups surround a public space extending along the east-west axis, which can also interact with the school garden when necessary. The park, crucial for the center’s relationship with the city and its residents, forms the third spine, establishing a direct and permeable connection with the municipal center. Positioned around the public space, the cafeteria and multi-purpose hall directly engage with the park, ensuring the building remains lively beyond municipal functions.

The roof structure, influenced by the local climate, significantly shapes the building’s form. It divides the mass into various sizes and features towards the park, defining a ‘scale’ that relates the mass to the ground and the cityscape. The volumes created within the interior spaces by the roof structure offer diverse spatial experiences throughout the building.