The masterplan proposes the conversion of the obsolete quarry and industrial buildings existing on the site. As a new centre of employment, housing, education and culture on the Sea of Marmara, the proposal incorporates Istanbul’s multi-modal urban plan, which integrates the city’s growth without increasing demand on the existing social and infrastructure networks along the Bosphorus and Golden Horn in the centre of the city.
The Kartal masterplan site lies at the confluence of important transport links, including the highway connecting Istanbul to Europe and Asia, ferry terminals and port, as well as rail links to the greater metropolitan area. The design ties together the existing infrastructure and urban fabric surrounding the site by connecting the major roads emerging from Kartal in the west and Pendik in the east. Integrating these lateral connections with the main longitudinal axis creates a new soft grid that defines the underlying framework of the proposal.
The masterplan is further articulated by an adaptable urban script that generates different typologies of buildings in response to the different demands of each new district; creating a porous, interconnected network of spaces throughout the city.