The Istanbul Harbor Revitalization Plan

Harbor revitalization is a big topic around the world. Just last month, experts conducted a one-day Marina Design Course at the International Marina & Boatyard Conference. One of the big harbor projects on the drawing board is the Istanbul Harbor Revitalization Project, seen as essential to Istanbul’s quest to land a Summer Olympics Games, something it has been trying to do for more than two decades.

Similar projects have recently been done as evidenced by the work of engineering design expert Fred Klancnik, PE of Capston Engineering Design, who has had a hand in planning, designing, and engineering the following revitalization projects: Haseko in Honolulu, Hawaii; the City of Milwaukee Downtown Lakefront Revitalization; the ChicagoPark District Lakefront Harbor System Framework Plan; and the City of Lake For us, Illinois Forest Park Beach Restoration & Recreational Development.

Upgrading Istanbul’s Harbor Facilities

Istanbul, like many cities, is experiencing rapid population growth; the city had 2 million people in 1995 and by 2014 had reached over 14 million. Over the past two decades, Istanbul has seen haphazard development resulting in waste of public space and poorly developed and implemented expansion of its transportation system, housing and more. To complicate matters, Istanbul is located near a major earthquake fault and a large earthquake is expected in the next 25 years.

Istanbul Harbor Revitalization (Image Courtesy www.geographymonkey.com)

Istanbul’s 25-Year Plan

The main thrust of the city’s harbor revitalization is to create major attractions along the waterfront of the harbor, building a new train station, adding a museum and a “congress centre” with hotels to host conventions and other major events.

At the same time, Istanbul’s planners will replace a four-lane highway running through the city along the harbor with a boulevard lined with modern aesthetic hotspots such as shopping centers, bars, restaurants, cafés and more.

Geography Monkey has published a comprehensive overview, “Culture, Tourism and Regeneration Process in Istanbul” written by Ferhan Gezici and Ebru Kerimoglu, detailing the city’s assets and shortcomings

The following images, courtesy www.aasarchitecture.com, show the planned design for a new Istanbul.