Kocaeli Public Square

Kocaeli City Square is conceived as a new civic centerpiece that bridges the contrasting worlds formed by the city’s morphology and the strong infrastructural boundary of the D100 highway and railway line. Unlike the continuous, low-density public spaces that have gradually emerged along the waterfront, the dense urban fabric to the north has long lacked a major city square. The former Perşembe Pazarı site presented a unique opportunity to fill this gap, and with its central location, proximity to significant public buildings, direct connection to the renewed pedestrian axis, and access to public transportation, it transforms into the urban stage where Kocaeli’s collective energy converges. The square is envisioned as an open space for everyone—large enough to host the city’s major events, sheltered by a generous canopy that provides climatic comfort, and activated by surrounding programs that foster social interaction. At the heart of the project lies this inclusive canopy: a permeable, adaptable, and transformable structure that houses various functions underneath, while being embraced by a dense green band that both connects it to the city and creates a breathing buffer around it.