EXPERIMENTING STREET FURNITURE FOR ISTANBUL

Prof. Dr. Nigan Bayazıt

ITU Department of Industrial Product Design

Abstract

Developments of the new economies create new behaviors that the life of the new

metropolitan cities faces with the new media. People are searching for the comfort of home

environment in the public spaces. There are interactions between the public spaces and

individual behaviors. Physical as well as virtual spaces must become a whole. The

contemporary city is under the overflow of information and knowledge. In collaboration with

ISTON, Department of Industrial Product Design of ITU, worked on street furniture projects

in the 3rd

year design studio and conducted with respect to the characteristics of the different

locations in Istanbul. This project is focused on the tendencies of the era and the progress in

the metropolitan area from a wide perspective.

INTRODUCTION

The life of a metropolitan area confronts the new economies, new behaviors, and new media.

Urban spaces are shifting to a big supermarket, every activity can be made in everywhere;

train stations, ports of the ships, entrances of the buildings, squares and parks became

relaxation spaces. Information sources can be found in everywhere. Road signs, information

units, communication-game-advertisement differences are disappearing. Chaotic and speedy

way of life has been changing these elements into recreation places. Leisure time of urban

dwellers increased. Social relations are taking place in the urban spaces. The developments in

the electronics are facilitating these interactions. Even a mobile phone has been changing the

social relations as well as life style of the people. One can be got in touch with from

anywhere. There is no need to go home or office to call someone, from somewhere it is

possible to communicate with everyone.

Cities are full of giant advertisements, competing with each other to sell or to show

something. In everywhere, effortlessness communication makes easy reaching information

more rapidly.

Office-home, home–office differences are disappearing. People have been asking for home

environment in their office, because they are spending more hours in their office than their

home. Offices are not anymore serious or frightening places and they gain the warmness and

comfort of a house. People are searching for the comfort of home in public places, like in

offices. Public places becoming meeting and communication places.

Even in metros, giant screens have been designed as a part of high-speed living conditions to

provide information that people are requiring. While traveling, one can have advantages of

communicating, even while flying in an airplane it is possible to watch live broadcasting, to

call anywhere in the world by phone. Forgetting the distances, all the places are united into a

whole. Everyone is aware about the others what and where they are doing.

Up to the present, architecture has been doing the urban designs. Architects have right to

decide about the living spaces of the cities. However, an energy flow is proceeding in the

cities before the architects, gradually; traditional physical properties are leaving their places to

virtual properties (Internet, telephone, etc). Even we can talk about architecture that is

becoming a stage to virtual properties. Urban spaces are used by them. Sound and light shows

are utilizing the buildings of the cities, they are drawing the boundaries of the spaces and

taking people to the depth of the past making the advertisement of the country.

Different functions and spaces have been shaping our daily life. Industrial crisis on the urban

context reflect the inadequacy in the division of urban spaces... Dwellings, offices, factories,

shopping centers, and entertainment spaces are all spatial typologies and their boundaries

have a short life span. Typological mixtures are the results of new social and economic truths.

In the time being, these typologies are taking place of each other. We could not imagine the

present shopping malls 15-20 years ago, that are bringing about business, entertainment,

eating, culture, shopping together. We can spend a whole day to make leisure time activities.

The squares, roads, empty spaces are the places where people come together and enjoy nature.

We can observe the people who cannot go far distances, come together, and spend time in the

parks and water shoreline. People start to spend time in the urban places like a part of their

house.

Physical as well as virtual spaces have to unite. Contemporary metropolitan is occupied by

information and energy flow. They are becoming more important than the existence of the

buildings. In the information and communication society, virtual events are replacing the

physical objects. Physical and virtual spaces are two different categories, but they have to find

a way to interact and unite in a whole. The types of interaction between these two have to be

investigated in art, architecture, and contemporary design research.

Public spaces and personal behaviors have impact on each other. We are living in a world,

expecting the time that the survival of human beings will be on the stage. To observe or to be

observed in a public space, to make private talks with the mobile phone in the public spaces

and the television programs, which are broadcasting the private moments of the people are the

indicators of the performance of subsistence of human beings. New social units are reality of

our time, and the traditional family remains as a solution to the union of human beings,

around which new life styles are emerging. These new units are more sincere, dynamic, and

oriented to the external (bachelors, couples, friends, etc) world.

The concerts of Jean Michael Jarre in Huston and Pyramids of Egypt, The designs of Jean

Nouvel are the beautiful examples of transfer of virtuality to the architecture and to the stages

created in the open urban spaces. The concert of the Wall Group in front of the San Marko

Square in Venice, the concert by Three Tenors in front of the Coliseum in Rome are the

examples to the use of the gorgeous spaces of the cities as stages. In all of these, architecture

became the stage for virtuality.

Starting from Sydney to New York in the celebration of 2000 New Year, we witnessed the

use of city spaces as stages in the virtual domain. In the Towers of Winds, Dreams, Eggs of

Winds installations, Toyo Ito realized a statue of interaction having a continuous dialog with

its environment to give the effects of the continuously changing urban reality. The film

technique depending on the sequential montage of images by Wim Wenders in the Tokyo

interpretation, and Christo’s genius packaging of architectural masterpieces with a mechanical

skill are most important examples.

Traditional urban furniture of the cities is facing the difficulties of responding to the needs of

urban dwellers, like the language of traditional architecture that has great difficulties

nowadays. We have to create new approaches to convey new meanings for the urban context.

Urban furniture is not only a bench, litter-tin, street lamp or flowerbed. Urban furniture has to

meet the new requirements of urban dwellers at social, psychological, technological needs in a

meaningful manner.

DESIGN STUDIO

In 2001-2002 Autumn Semester, an urban furniture studio is organized with the third year

students of Industrial Product Design Department (IPDD) at Istanbul Technical University

(ITU) in collaboration with ISTON. In this project, 50 students worked on different districts

of Istanbul to design urban furniture. From the IPDD Prof. Dr. Nigan Bayazit, Assoc. Prof.

Dr. Seçil Satir, Lecturer Mehmet Erkok, Assistant to Professors A. Ensici, P. Y. Celik, C.

Vatan, S. Özemir, C. Alppay and from ISTON Refik Yüksek and Cengiz Gençata participated

at this studio project. In the same semester, a one-week workshop is organized with the

Design Studio Director of DOMUS Academy, Dante Donegani. In this workshop, it was

aimed to give a new perspective to the students, who work on the same location, where they

have already been working in their studio project.

Characteristics of the selected location were different from each other. Each location was

examined with their relation to its environment, the use of the existing environment, user

perception, and response to the environment. Following this step, scenarios for urban design

were prepared to meet the contemporary requirements of the users. According to the

characteristics of the locations, set of urban furniture projects having dissimilar characteristics

were designed. In these projects, selected subjects were advertisement, recreation, pleasure,

cultural interaction, game, and some other themes. Use of the object by day and night was

also considered.

WORKSHOP WITH DANTE DONEGANI “LIVEABLE RELATIONS”

The theme of the workshop proposed by Dante Donegani, and focused on examining the

situation of contemporary cities and debating the concept of urban furniture in the light of

technological advances. The workshop’s approach was to look at the significance of urban

furniture in the urban context. The meaning attached by urban dwellers through their own

awareness of the urban furniture they perceive, and the legibility of this furniture for urban

dwellers are more desirable than hanging up an advertisement sign. Since primarily the object

resembles no other object, for the urban dweller who perceives them they will have a greater

impact than advertisements of the ordinary kind. The lending of significance to an object as

well as its functionality could be a quality enabling it to finance itself. Since the specific

elements will be easily discerned, they neither will nor hesitate to reveal themselves within

the city.

Within the complex and heterogeneous structure of the city, urban furniture emerges as either

indistinct or distinct elements. Advertisements are above all classified as distinct elements,

and for this reason created visual pollution. The idea that the urban furniture, as distinct

elements, could bring advertisements into close proximity to urban dweller, and function as

elements referring to advertisement is one, which deserve further thought.

With an approach, which might be described as post-modern, students, were encouraged to

generate new ideas. The groups of projects in the workshop are explained in the following

lines.

1st Project Group

A tourist information advertisement unit in a historical environment: Giant size electronic

book for Sultanahmet Square

Students: Akgün Tokatli, Ali İlhan, Barıs Tas Burcu Yançatorol, Çiğdem Kaya, Umman

Kirhasanoğlu

In the historical environment, a book metaphor is used for tourists to recognize our cultural

identity. The size of the book is designed convenient enough to perceive the information on

the giant book for a group of tourists coming in front of it with a guide. Presentation is digital

on the book and can be controlled by the guide.

Figure 1. The information book in the Sultanahmet Square.

2nd Project Group Information advertisement units for young people in a historical environment, Beyoglu.

Students: Sedef Can, Z. Sila Yigit, Özlen Alpaslan, Kerem Tuncel, Emre Bingöl, Emine

Sarsilmaz, Hande Büyükatli

Figure 2 Information advertisement units for Beyoglu.

Information advertisement units are designed as symbols to fit to the characteristics of the

environment, are like an extruded objects in the industrial production. Objective of this

project is to create a series of information units without getting attention upon itself. They

were simple to produce and symbolize the information given inside. Ten different symbols

were designed for an entertainment location, Beyoglu. These units are for cinemas, beerhouse,

music shops, food store, fish restaurants, gift shops, theaters, mobile phone shops, fashion

shops, coffee houses, teahouses, etc.

3rd Project Group

An advertisement for restaurants at the seashore: Aquarium for Yeniköy.

Students: Özgül Dalkiliç, Baran Ünal, Burcu Koçer, Devrim Ülkebas, Kemal Orman, Ayça

Akkaya, Özlem Satir, Seda Uçar, Eylem Albayrak

Advertisement units are designed in accordance with the characteristics of the seashore

locations. An example is an aquarium for the advertisement of a fish restaurant, which

symbolizes the live-fish restaurants of Bosporus.

Figure 3 Aquarium for Yeniköy restaurants.

4th Project Group A bus stop with advertisement for narrow pavements at Nisantasi.

Öğrenciler: Aycan Akyatan, Burcu Büyükünal, Burçin Gülen, Can Uçkan, Izak Eskenazi

Figure 4 Bus stop with advertisement for narrow pavements at Nisantasi.

In the narrow side roads and crowded streets, pedestrian and waiting for public transport at

bus stops create an annoyance. This project aimed at to introduce advertisements with a game

logic into the daily life while walking on the street, looking to the shop windows, crossing the

roads.

5th Project Group

Advertisement units for exercising people in the parks and recreation areas: Pulse and calorie

measurement unit for Democracy Park

Öğrenciler: Bilge Köprülü, Hale Sürmeli, Ilgim Eroglu, Özlem Aydiner

This Project is designed for the people who come to Democracy Park to do their daily

exercises, jogging and walking. To prevent visual pollution in the park, advertisement is

hidden inside the heart pulse and calorie measurement machine, unless it is used by the

exercising person.

Figure 5 Pulse and calorie measurement unit for Democracy Park.

6th Project Group

Urban furniture that provides the home comfort on the urban square: Bakirköy Square.

Students: Aysegül Erman, Beste Conkir, Filiz Çetin, Nevzat Kara, Ufuk Ulusan, Duygu

Kaçar, Pınar Azizoglu, Sahmir Yekeyev

The objective of this project was to provide comfort of a home environment on the urban

square with urban furniture. While watching TV on giant screen, drinking coke from the

machine, or lying and reading book and newspaper (newspaper automat), chatting to the

friends, eating bagel (bagel automat), etc. Some modules are designed to assemble lines in the

empty space.

Figure 6 Home comfort on the urban square at Bakirköy.

SEMESTER PROJECTS

Some examples of student projects are given in the following paragraphs. Most interesting

and locations of Istanbul is selected for urban furniture design by the students. Students are

asked to provide information about the history of the region and prove the distinct character of

the location in Istanbul. Seeing similar street furniture in everywhere in a metropolitan like

Istanbul is not a correct way of approaching urban design. Some of the locations are rich with

their historical characteristics, some others reflects the natural beauty and richness. Some

others are quarreling with the traffic jam and information flow therefore represents a very

complicated way of life.

Students were encouraged to employ the elements of our own culture in their designs, rather

than take an imitative approach under the influence of Internet and contemporary world

culture. Working in the historical environment does not mean to copy existing historical

forms, but interpretation of them will provide richness to their designs. Without allowing this

tendency to cross the borderline into kitsch, interpretation of the historical or natural elements

will add diversity to designs.

1. Zeyrek – Urban furniture for the environment of Zeyrek Mosque (Pantokrator

Church). Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Çiğdem Kaya

Forms of this project are the interpretation of arches in Zeyrek location. A complete set of

student project, in addition to regular urban furniture, contains a scratchboard against

vandalism, and an automatic photo and internet connection unit.

Figure 7 An automatic photo, internet Figure 8 A scratchboard against

connection unit. vandalism.

2. Harbiye – Urban furniture for Lütfü Kırdar Cultural Center, Muhsin Ertugrul

Theater, and Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Filiz Çetin

Objective of this project was to meet the information requirements of the audiences of the

cultural center. Users of the urban furniture were to provide information through the

electronic media devices, such as video, internet, timetables and schedules.

Figure 9 Urban furniture for Lütfü Kırdar Cultural Center, Muhsin Ertuğrul Theater, and

Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall

3. Yeniköy Seashore – Urban furniture for Yeniköy.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Özgül Dalkiliç

This project is influenced from the silhouette of hipped roofs in the historical waterside

residences of Yeniköy. The set of urban furniture followed the same geometrical

characteristics of the roofs.

Figure 10 Urban furniture for Yeniköy.

4. Sultanahmet – Urban furniture near Byzantium ruins.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Emre Bingöl

Starting point of this project was the bricks walls of Byzantium ruins at Sultanahmet square.

A steel modular set of furniture were designed making the interpretation of brick walls.

Figure 11 Urban furniture near Byzantium ruins.

5. Sultanahmet – Urban furniture for sound and light shows at Sultanahmet Square.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Burcu Yançatarol

Sultanahmet Square is a main attraction center for tourists who visit Istanbul. Starting point of

this project was the deteriorated and vandalized urban furniture for existing sound and light

show. The concept of the project was the interpretation of “Çintemani”, special figure in

Ottoman ceramic art. Day and night vision of the urban furniture was very well designed.

Figure 12 Urban furniture (seat and streetlight) for sound and light shows at Sultanahmet

Square.

4. Nişantaşı – Bus stop and urban furniture for narrow foot pavements of Nisantasi.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Can Uçkan

For very narrow foot pavements of Nisantasi, design of light and narrow products was the

main concept of this project. Elegance and transparency of the objects was especially

preferred for the appearance of the urban furniture. Advertisement was combined with the

utilization of electronic communication in bus stop. Bus stop designed with a single pile.

Figure 13 Bus stop and urban furniture for narrow foot pavements of Nisantasi.

5. Democracy Park, Maçka – Urban furniture with natural forms to fit to the nature.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Hale Sürmeli

Benches with steel transparent structures were especially designed to preserve the natural

beauty of the landscape. The other furniture with their simple minimalist designs also hides

themselves in the park.

Figure 14 Democracy Park, Maçka urban furniture.

6. Bakırköy Square - The design of boundary making poles and the urban furniture for

the Square.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Nevzat Kara

The project depends on the removal of the existing solid walls on the boundary of the square.

Instead of those walls to create a light boundary, turning advertisement panels with

streetlights were designed. People could enter from any point between these lights.

Advertisement panels could be seen by either the passing by automobiles or the visitors of the

square.

Figure 15 Bakırköy Square boundary making poles.

7. Istiklal Street – Small urban furniture for crowded pedestrian space.

Tutor: Nigan Bayazit, Student: Özlen Alpaslan

In the crowded pedestrian spaces, urban furniture should not be like a barrier occupying large

spaces. With this intention, the concept of small urban furniture was accepted for Beyoglu.

Benches were designed as supports for pedestrians, around the trees of the street. Streetlights

were designed to stand on the walls or close to both sides of the street. Litter-tin and

pavement lights were following the lines of the trees.

Figure 16 Istiklal Street small urban furniture.

8. Ataköy – Urban furniture for new settlements.

Tutor: Mehmet Erkök, Student: Beste Conkır

Starting point of the project was to make concrete urban furniture for the concrete

surroundings. Triple and single pile lighting elements, bending sitting elements with Litter-

tins was designed. They constitute a harmony with the pavement material.

Figure 17 Ataköy urban furniture for new settlements.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates a significant approach to urban furniture that gain meaning in the

urban context... The meaning attached by urban dwellers through their awareness of the urban

furniture they perceive, and the legibility of this furniture for urban dwellers are more

desirable than hanging an advertising sign. Since primarily the object resembles no other

object, for the urban dweller who perceives them they will have a greater impact than

advertisements of the ordinary kind. The lending of significance to an object as well as its

functionality could be a quality enabling it to finance itself. Since the specific elements will

be easily discerned, they neither will nor hesitate to reveal themselves within the city.

Within the complex and heterogeneous structure of the city, urban furniture emerges as either

indistinct (like bus stops) or distinct elements. Advertisements are above all classified as

distinct elements, and for this reason created visual pollution. The idea that the urban

furniture, as distinct elements, could bring advertisements into close proximity to urban

dweller, and function as elements referring to advertisement is one, which deserve further

thought. On the other hand, placing the advertisement in blurry elements and reaching it

intentionally like a game playing, will reduce the visual pollution in the urban context.

Advertisements as a distinct element should not be in conflict with the historical objects of the

urban environment. Barthes (1993) says that city is a discourse, and he accepts the

symbolization in the city relates to the semantic discourse. If an advertisement has a

misleading character, then it accomplishes expected function. Urban furniture are temporary

designs. Direct or indirect relations between these objects and advertisements will avoid the

probable collisions. Advertisement is selected to support main theme as its misleading

character and the temporariness of the urban furniture match each other.

With an approach, which might be described as post-modern, students, were encouraged to

generate new ideas. It is vital that in a globalizing world we are responsible for our own

identity in new designs. At this studio works students were encouraged to employ the

elements of their own culture in their designs, rather than take an imitative approach under the

influence of internet and contemporary world cultures. Without allowing this tendency to

cross the borderline into kitsch, interpretation of these elements will add diversity and

richness to designs.

KAYNAKLAR

Barthes, R., Göstergebilimsel Serüven, Cogito-12, Yapı Kredi Yayınları Ltd. Şti., 1993.

Bayazıt, N., Yaşanılabilir İlişkiler, Yapı Dergisi, 2002.