Courtesy of Cafer Bozkurt
Succeeding the 1992 and 2015 restorations of the underground cistern structure, this architectural project features a contemporary Entrance Building to the monument and the design of the surrounding urban landscape. Situated in a dense urban context, this small public space opened up after the buildings previously located right above the cistern were demolished in 2013 with the approval of the IV. Historical Heritage Committee of Istanbul. This project expands cultural and temporal frontiers by generating awareness and heightening visibility of the heritage layers that lie below. Today, this small-scale urban design project gracefully fulfills its initial aim to create a contemporary urban space and to provide both visitors to the museum and passers-by an appropriately reflective space to appreciate the surrounding historical context.