sports news: Istanbul Disaster Prevention and Education Center by OODA

view from the river

OODA‘s unconventional design for Disaster Prevention and Education Center in Istanbul is a proposal forThyssenKrupp international competition. In an era of increased environmental concerns, developing public awareness about natural disasters, in this case earthquakes, is of crucial importance. The project augments the experience of these situations and acts as a cautionary tale by simulating actual scenarios, predicting spaces and creating eventual ambiances. The Center, fully equipped by adequate technology is allowing its visitors to actually experience hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, fire fighting and smoke.

The interior of this enormous cross-shaped building is a multi-level roller coaster of overlapping programs, connected through a central point, which receives and guides the public in its interaction with the building. Six separate programmatic areas – the entrance, planetarium, training, simulation, library, conference area and administration need specific connectivity along both axes; therefore the form of the building actually follows the requirements of its main program components.

The exterior of the Center, undergone severe earthquake until reached the structural stability, corresponds with the city of Istanbul – landscape design uses local Turkish patterns and ornaments to activate the surrounding. The filigree cladding is manipulated to filter daylight and provide natural ventilation, according to the specific program requirements – the gaps in the panels become denser depending on the required amount of natural lighting.

Designed both for local residents and tourists, this iconic building acts as a new landmark for the city lying on two continents. Conceptually, the building is a celebration of the successful integration of“resilient cities” principles within the old urban tissue.