Social Responsibility

Transformation of public spaces: Şimal Steps

We develop projects for improve public spaces nearby the property projects that we developed as Segment Construction.

In this context, a project designed for historical Şimal Steps for using the steps as an open air art space, which is located in front of the Apartıman’Belkıs, and project  presented to the Beyoğlu Municipality.

Şimal Steps project involved to the European Union’s Human Cities programme as an only project accepted from Turkey and exhibited in 2010 Istanbul Design Week event.

Istanbul is a city of hills and valleys, for which reason it is home to a street dynamic of steep streets and steps. One of these is the “Şimal Steps”, which appear on the Pervititch maps of the 1930s as an undivided entity. With the flourishing of street art, the Şimal Steps were transformed into an alternative exhibition space, the usage of which has been reevaluated upon their integration into Apartıman’Belkıs. The walls flanking the steps have been dressed up with plants and made suitable for the exhibition of art.

The incline of the stairs allows the steps to be removed and replaced by temporary seating, and the lower section of the steps now allows for a removable stage to be set up, creating a performance space.

The permanent seating areas have been designed as for pedestrians to sit and catch their breaths. The project conceived for Şimal Steps was one of 22 in Europe selected for the ‘Places To Be’ category of the Human Cities project supported since 2008 by the European Union Culture programme.

Five Senses of Istanbul

A project designed for 2010 EuropeanCapital of Culture project, which is entitled as ‘Five Senses of Istanbul’ and submitted to the Capital of Culture agency. Within the scope of project, objects which are going to represent Istanbul with five senses, designed with introduction kiosks.

When examining the way of guest greeting and hosting in our traditions, it’s come out
that, a visiting contains five senses.

sense of touch : handshake
sense of taste : coffee, delight treat
sense of smell : rosewater, cologne treat
sense of hear : conversation
sense of see : watching

Its thought-out the presenting products and services to all visitors, which are going to make feel the Istanbul with five senses in the kiosks, with modernize the traditional presentations.