The architects RMJM presented plans for a new skyscraper in Istanbul
Istanbul - The picturesque skyline of Turkish Istanbul is set to gain a new landmark by the end of 2015. It will be a nearly 300-meter-high skyscraper that will rival the tallest buildings in Europe. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Scottish architectural firm RMJM announced the construction of the complex named Metropol Istanbul on Wednesday after the building plans were approved.
The project covering an area of 500,000 square meters will include three towers, a shopping center spanning 30,000 square meters, offices, and luxury apartments. According to RMJM's chief manager Chris Jones, the skyscraper complex will become a "iconic building and will give character to Istanbul."
"Nothing like this exists yet in Turkey," Jones said. "Given the current financial situation, we could not talk about a project like this in any other part of Europe. This reflects the strength and confidence of the growing Turkish economy," he added in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
The cost of constructing the complex, which will be located on the Asian side of Istanbul at the edge of a new government-supported financial zone, is estimated at 1.5 billion Turkish lira (more than 16.4 billion crowns). Projections presented alongside the plans show that the towers will dominate the Asian side of Istanbul, which is spread across two continents.
The city, with an estimated population of 17 million, does not yet have a skyline dotted with skyscrapers like many European commercial metropolises. The tallest buildings in Istanbul are currently in the Levent district on the European side of the city.
Turkish architects and urban planning experts have already criticized the speed at which Istanbul is trying to build ever-taller buildings. Concerns are also expressed by a growing group of Istanbul residents who criticize the rapidly changing skyline of the city. Their fears previously manifested in the halt of the construction of a high-rise building that would obstruct the view of the Topkapi Palace, which was the residence of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire until 1855, as well as the famous Blue Mosque.
Modern skyscrapers on the European side of the city have already altered the traditional view of the Bosporus, which is known for its skyline dotted with minarets and towers from the Ottoman era.
Moreover, the city lives in constant fear of earthquakes, which increases the risk associated with skyscraper construction. During the last major earthquake in 1999 near Istanbul, which reached a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale, more than 17,000 people died mainly due to poor construction. Experts warn that another strong earthquake could hit Istanbul at practically any time.
The project covering an area of 500,000 square meters will include three towers, a shopping center spanning 30,000 square meters, offices, and luxury apartments. According to RMJM's chief manager Chris Jones, the skyscraper complex will become a "iconic building and will give character to Istanbul."
"Nothing like this exists yet in Turkey," Jones said. "Given the current financial situation, we could not talk about a project like this in any other part of Europe. This reflects the strength and confidence of the growing Turkish economy," he added in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
The cost of constructing the complex, which will be located on the Asian side of Istanbul at the edge of a new government-supported financial zone, is estimated at 1.5 billion Turkish lira (more than 16.4 billion crowns). Projections presented alongside the plans show that the towers will dominate the Asian side of Istanbul, which is spread across two continents.
The city, with an estimated population of 17 million, does not yet have a skyline dotted with skyscrapers like many European commercial metropolises. The tallest buildings in Istanbul are currently in the Levent district on the European side of the city.
Turkish architects and urban planning experts have already criticized the speed at which Istanbul is trying to build ever-taller buildings. Concerns are also expressed by a growing group of Istanbul residents who criticize the rapidly changing skyline of the city. Their fears previously manifested in the halt of the construction of a high-rise building that would obstruct the view of the Topkapi Palace, which was the residence of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire until 1855, as well as the famous Blue Mosque.
Modern skyscrapers on the European side of the city have already altered the traditional view of the Bosporus, which is known for its skyline dotted with minarets and towers from the Ottoman era.
Moreover, the city lives in constant fear of earthquakes, which increases the risk associated with skyscraper construction. During the last major earthquake in 1999 near Istanbul, which reached a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale, more than 17,000 people died mainly due to poor construction. Experts warn that another strong earthquake could hit Istanbul at practically any time.
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