Çanakkale, Turkey
The following description is courtesy of Powerhouse Company.
In 2013 Powerhouse Company won a large invited international competition to design a combined visitor centre and multimedia broadcasting tower in Turkey. Designed in collaboration with Rotterdam-based architecture firm Inter.National.Design (IND), the tower is located on the outskirts of the historic city of Çanakkale—formerly known as Troye—in western Turkey. Currently under construction, the structure functions as a broadcast network post as well as a pathway to explore the impressive nature surrounding the site and a visitor centre.
A ribbon merging two functions
The complex relationship between the visitor centre and the broadcast tower is resolved with a unique spatial gesture—a continuous ribbon that physically separates the two different programmes to avoid any radiation hazard but connects them visually. Generated by joining the two vertical ends of the ribbon, the tower forms an iconic gateway that welcomes visitors into a unique natural park.
Experiencing the natural scenery
The beauty of the site, a hilltop forest facing the Dardanelles Strait, inspired us to create a spatial experience intimately connected with the landscape—far removed from conventional antenna tower design. The roof of the ribbon becomes an open-air path though the forest, offering a close-up experience of the trees as well as breathtaking views of the Dardanelles.
Mostly elevated from the ground, the architecture leaves a minimal footprint that allows the landscape to flow uninterruptedly. The colour and texture of the cor-ten steel beautifully complements the natural tones of the surroundings.
Expressive, iconic and connected to the landscape
By designing a very conceptual and abstract form, Powerhouse Company infused the antenna tower typology with new spatial features and new possibilities for different programmes. At once an exhibition space, a recreational facility, an observation deck and a broadcast network post, the antenna tower combines a strong architectural identity from afar with a unique spatial experience up-close.
Project Details
Time span: 2013 – now
Type: Public
Status: Under construction
Client: Province of Çanakkale
Location: Çanakkale, Turkey
Size: 5,100m2
Budget: € 8.000.000
