This Büyükçekmece Lake Natural Habitat Park project is a pioneering project, delivered by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, that seeks to restore, protect, and sustainably manage the water basin while enhancing recreational opportunities. Before the development of the park, the area around the Büyükçekmece basin suffered from uncontrolled use, with waste accumulating around the area and flowing unfiltered into the water, causing significant pollution. The lack of security discouraged local residents from visiting the area with their families, as safety concerns made it an undesirable recreational space.

The competition site focuses on access to the park from the socially and economically diverse Ulus Neighbourhood. While access to the park from the Ulus Neighbourhood is provided via a footbridge, a fast-moving four-lane highway separates the neighbourhood from the park. This barrier limits safe and inclusive access, underscoring the need for better connectivity to ensure that the park is accessible and enjoyable for all.

In this competition, teams are invited to explore innovative ways to bridge the gap between the neighbourhood and the park. Whether through playful, interactive installations, accessible pathways or social gathering places, the aim is to develop solutions that enhance connectivity and transform the park into a shared, vibrant space where the community feels welcome and involved.

Approx. site area: 

• 150 hectares. This consists of the Ulus Neighbourhood, road connection and entrance to the Büyükçekmece Lake and green spaces. 

Key Information:

• The Ulus Neighbourhood is home to both migrant and local residents, and a mixture of housing densities, household sizes, ages, education levels, and incomes. 

Priority areas & main expectations:

• Create an inclusive space: Students should develop strategies that enhance the park's role as an 'open-air biodiversity museum', ensuring it remains inclusive and attractive for diverse user groups.

• Improve accessibility and pedestrian connections: Proposals should strengthen access to the park from surrounding neighbourhoods, especially by enhancing pedestrian connections between Ulus and Hürriyet neighbourhoods through Taşocağı Street and Çatalca Road, while preserving local biodiversity.

• Incorporate educational and interactive features: To make the area an engaging destination, designs should include educational signage along pathways, wildlife observation points, and digital or gamified elements to attract and educate younger visitors about biodiversity and conservation.

• Increase community engagement and stewardship: Strategies should prioritize community involvement by integrating local knowledge and insights from residents, helping foster a sense of stewardship and active participation in the park's maintenance and activities.

• Increasing vegetation and plant cover: Plans should emphasize enhancing the park’s ecological landscape by increasing plant cover and vegetation, contributing to biodiversity and creating a natural refuge within the urban setting.

• Create a multifunctional, ecological space: The design should balance ecological awareness with recreational needs by creating a multifunctional space that encourages sustainable use, fosters community engagement, and highlights the importance of preserving natural resources.

• Foster connectivity: The ultimate goal is to create a “living museum” that integrates recreation, education, and transportation, building a meaningful link between nature, residents, and visitors in the local community.