On a site almost without context because of its vast scale and open development plans, the Istanbul Disaster Prevention and Education Centre (DPEC), designed by Superunion Architects, represents a new beginning for the Expo area adjacent to the Atatürk International Airport. Today, the area is a typical example of a generic, market driven development without a common goal. It consists of tall isolated buildings trying to express their individuality rather than performing as a coherent whole. Situated in a void between city and airport, where public space is nonexistent, isolated buildings are surrounded by their own private sea of parking. The new Istanbul DPEC reverses current planning standards, making the ground surface completely public by elevating the building and letting the park flow freely below. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The horizontal, neutral volume stands out in a context of tall and intricate buildings. The Istanbul DPEC is contextual through its contextlessness. It is a universal building, a prototype for the new typology of a globally oriented Disaster Center.
