Ulus Savoy Housing


designed by /



Location: Turkey / Type: Public Gardens / Residential Parks / Roofs / Built: 2013 /
Show on Google Maps / Published on March 3, 2014

DS Architecture – Landscape: Ulus Savoy settlement is one of the most special projects of Emre Arolat Architects for us. The fractured structure of the parking lot ceiling that is forming the base/shell of the landscape gives a unique characteristic to the site. This unity of architecture an landscape gives the opportunity to the landscape to become an inseparable part of this brutalist structure, also making the landscape much more meaningful. The constructed topography of the settlement shapes the garden and landscape characteristics of the common spaces. Flat areas serve as private gardens and the areas in between host the social facilities.

Providing a promenade to stroll around the gardens, the circulation route which is partially elevated at some points plays great role in perceiving the fractured surfaces of the site.

The steep parts of these fractured surfaces which are covered by natural stone by special details, becomes the background of the circular skylights providing dramatic lighting effects for the parking lot. These dramatic oppositions create dynamic snapshots by the seasonal changes of the plantation design.
With the exceptionally rich potential of the architecture and the use of wooden and natural stone surfaces the project can almost be considered as a new interpretation of nature itself. As a new version of Istanbul’s Bosphorus hillside topography, the vegetation on these surfaces were maintained only by special infrastructure details. Referring to the plant characteristics of Bosphorus, these newly interpreted maquis groups becomes a part of this special environment.

The entrance facade of the settlement contains a permeable linearity within the architectural setting. The metal pots that were added to the metal construction elements (which we use in many of our projects) were designed and placed in particular to this project. A soft lighting effect is provided starting from the entrance facade, spreading through the whole landscape. In our opinion, with all these unique features of both its architecture and landscape, this new experimental settlement of Istanbul gains a special place within the city.

The theme of the public park which was considered as an extension of the project was “edible” landscape. The park was designed with a similar approach to the project area within an agricultural characteristic. By this approach the road connecting the valley of Ulus to Ortaköy presents a new recreational character for Istanbul.

Savoy project which became one of the most exciting projects for our office, made us create new technologies for landscape architecture, while providing us the opportunity of observing the results and learning from them. The Project gave us the chance to expand our own know-how package while providing greater confidence to be involved in new and more difficult projects.

Landscape Architecture: DS Architecture – Landscape
Project name: Ulus Savoy Housing
Client: Çarmıklı Saruhan Partnership
Architecture: EAA – Emre Arolat Architects
Landscape Architect of Record/Firm: Deniz Aslan / DS Architecture – Landscape
Design Team: Deniz Aslan, Özge Akaydın, Selda İpek
Project Location: Ulus / Beşiktaş / İstanbul / Turkey
Area: Site: 60000 m², Landscape: 35000 m²
Project: 2013
Photography Credit: Cemal Emden
Text Credits: Deniz Aslan

2 thoughts on "Ulus Savoy Housing by DS Architecture – Landscape"

  1. Adrian Swain says:

    I am concerned that the predominance of plant material shown in these images is not real? Was the planting scheme so unsuccessful that it needed to be added digitally….. With regards to to exemplary architectural aesthitics this project seems to tick boxes however I am really unimpressed by digitally rendered / failed landscapes to have them appear successful ……. when I can only imagine they are not! FAIL

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