Process of the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center started at 6 January 2000 by İzmir's deceased mayor Ahmet Piriştina, he sent an invitation letter about the topic to 6 distinguished architects from Turkey. He invited them to join the competition for new arts center that they were going to build at the site of old trolley station, Güzelyalı. The architectural firms were: Özgür Ecevit, Ersin Pöğün, Erbil Coşkuner, Celal Koç, Tozkoparan Architecture and Doğan Tekelli-Sami Sisa. The results were announced at June and the jury chose Tozkoparan Architecture among other 5 teams. Almost collapsed and abandoned Old Tram Depots's restoration projects were also included in the requirements of the project. Tozkopara Architecture worked with engineering with the topics of engineering, acoustic and venue planning.
Project date: 2000–2001
Construction date: 2006–2009
Context
The venue is in one of the most popular residential areas in İzmir. It is situated at the Mithatpaşa Street which is one of the central streets of İzmir. There is 3 entrance: VIP entrance, main entrance and artist entrance. The Front facade of it is closer to sea and it has a direct connection to Mithatpaşa Street. South and East elevations is surrounded by residential buildings. West Elevation is across a private school and a gasoline station.
Formal
Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center's plot area is 19.000 m2 and it's closed area is 29.500 m2. There a 2 concert halls, 5 art galleries, open air performance areas, restored buildings. It does not serve as a theater because it doesn't not fit into requirements. It has 2 concert halls. The bigger hall is an 1150-seater and it has 10 entrances which are distributed to 3 floors. The small one is a 250-seater and it has 4 entrances to it. Each of them have one backstage. 4 art galleries are symmetrical and they are on top of each other. They hold the same m2 at ground and 1st floors. Other 5th one is at basement floor, under the main entrance and it has a different plan than other 4. Other parts of the complex belong the administration offices, artists rooms and circulation areas. Restored old tramp depots at each side of the plot's entrance, are used as a restaurant and an academy.
Spatial experience
A 250 year old olive tree is located at the entrance, leading to a fountain and a pond situated under and both sides of the stairs that take you to the entrance hall. Pond is inspired from Yunus Emre Oratorio. At the front of the main entrance hall, there is a circular area and at the east side of it Ahmed Adnan Saygun's statue Inside, there are identical art galleries left and right, ground and 1st floor. The entrances to the small and big concert hall are visible the help of the double height space and balconies of the 1st and 2nd floor. There are 2 staircases on each side leading to the -1 floor, 1st and 2nd floor. Back side of the building is full of administration, management, soloist, artist, VIP and technical rooms. s. At the basement level there is the small concert hall, artist rooms, technical staff rooms and the 5th art gallery. Ground floor consists of 2 art galleries, 4 entrances to big concert hall, backstage, administration rooms, technical staff rooms.2 art galleries, symmetrical to each other, 4 another entrances to big concert hall, management room, soloist rooms are all in the 1st floor. Lastly 2nd floor has excess to balcony of the big concert hall and VIP rooms. Art galleries at the 1st floor are connected to each other with suspended bridge.
Structure and material qualities
Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center catches your attention with its silence. Bright brown and cream colored marble cladding outdoors blend into the city. In the indoors marble colored reinforced concrete, laminate and steel are used together to create a welcoming space. Steel suspended bridge hangs at the main entrance of the building. Load bearing columns can be seen from inside and they create verticality and separate spaces. Large glass windows and steel-glass roof let the light in to the main hall.
