Bandirma is located in the prominent city of Balikesir, Turkey. Balikesir itself is placed in an interesting geographical point of conjunction, where great infrastructures meet and density rate is one of the highest in Turkey. The most iconic future image of the city will be its port, which will be count as the second largest industrial and logistics’ centre in Turkey.
The goal of the new Bandirma Park is to have a strong recreational character, in order to provide a new open public space for alternative, interactive and creative activities. This character is going to be directly linked to the site’s heritage, historical, cultural and ecological identity, an identity which will be visually enhanced and promoted in the new design.
In order to create a conjunctional and accessible, to all activities, plan we propose a clear idea of movements and pauses, directions and flows. Accessibility for people with disabilities is one of our priorities both for the design process and the equipment used on the site. A distinctive red, linear, low-velocity road, passes through all facilities; hotels, retail, heritage, exhibitions zone, joining them harmoniously and creating a dialogue between them, starting from the one main entrance of the new Park until the other.
Not only accessibility and walkability are important to the welcoming feeling that the site will offer to its visitors, but experiences and participation are fundamental to the creation of memories worth sharing, transmitted and lived for ever.
The importance of changing landscapes, activities, experiences and memories, the unexpected corner, the hidden elements, the outstanding features, the calm transitions, will all have their own place in the design process. In order to achieve change we focus on two important elements, temporality and materiality. The temporality of seasons, activities, exhibitions, flows of movement and experiences.
Maintaining the existing ecology and reinforcing it under contemporary methods is one of the basic steps forward a sustainable design for future transformations. Using the proper surface local materials and vegetation, not only will save energy from transportation and labor, but will help maintenance issues too.
There will be thematic areas that will be covered by a concept of Smart City Prototype will be:
- Sustainable Buildings
- Intelligent Building Management systems
- Intelligent Energy Generation and Management
- Water Management
- Smart Waste Management
- Intelligent Lighting
- E-mobility Management
- Info Management
Enhancing the existing local flora will contribute in creating the right microclimate to preserve the existing wildlife, providing shelter to species after the high industrialization of the area. Local vegetation, will support the sloped areas of the site, by creating a supportive and strong root system, in order to prevent landslide and rushing streams creating problems to the surrounding areas.
Both landscape and architectural design will focus on the arts. Both closed and open areas will host exhibitions, artistic events, fashion projects, music concerts and theatrical events. Mixed media, VR technologies, lighting and sound exhibitions, 3D hologram projections and interactive education will all take place in our site, in order to transform it into a didactical and artistic institution.
Bandirma Recreational Park
Location | Balikesir, Turkey
Concept & Landscape Architecture by Landmarch. – Landscape Architecture
Architecture design support by Eirini Triantafyllou
Lighting Design by LightWorks.
Sustainable management by Dr. Ioannis Pappas (GSTC)
