Istanbul Modern unveils its new look with stunning Renzo Piano-designed renovation

Renowned architect Renzo Piano's transformation of the Istanbul Modern museum is set to open its doors to visitors in 2022. Situated on the same site where Istanbul Modern first opened in 2004, the new building’s seaside façade overlooks the Bosphorus and the historical peninsula. The RPBW - Renzo Piano Building Workshop-designed building occupies 10,500 square meters of usable space.

The Bosphorus inspired the design of the new building with its glittering waters and light reflections. The transparent ground floor houses the library, museum information points, the discovery space, café, and museum shop. This level strengthens the connection on this exceptional site between the waterfront and the existing Tophane Park. The opaque elements of this level create a landscape of circular columns and mechanical pipes, forming a soft transition between light and shadow. The first floor is home to the photography gallery, pop-up gallery, education rooms, and event rooms. A restaurant on the south façade with an outdoor terrace has views towards the Bosphorus and the historical peninsula.

The second floor houses the permanent exhibition gallery and temporary exhibition gallery. Above the glazed ground level, the skin of the building is made by a sequence of 3D-formed aluminium panels, playing with the shadow and light bouncing from the water. The building also includes a 156-seat auditorium on the mezzanine for film screenings and events.

Located in a unique setting where the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn meet, Istanbul Modern provides the city with a one-of-a-kind viewing terrace hovering over a shallow plane of water that covers the entire roof of the building. The new building has been constructed with the joint contributions of Istanbul Modern’s founding sponsor, the Eczacıbaşı Group, and its main sponsor, Doğuş Group-Bilgili Holding.

The building's construction provides a bright and safe environment while embracing contemporary design with historic features. The museum aims to instil a love of the arts in all visitors and encourage their active participation in the arts. Istanbul Modern hosts a broad array of interdisciplinary activities, including modern and contemporary art, photography, design, architecture, and new media. The museum acts as an intermediary in the sharing of Turkey’s cultural identity with the international art environment and supports artists in their productions and efforts to form partnerships abroad.

The area surrounding the Square boasts such landmarks as the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque Complex designed by Mimar Sinan, the Tophane Fountain, the Nusretiye Mosque, and the Tophane Pavilion, as well as the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Museum of Painting and Sculpture. Istanbul Modern provides the city with a new cultural landmark, adding to the surrounding landmarks, with the new building blending perfectly into the historic context.

The museum has hosted exhibitions and events for 14 years before moving to its temporary space in Beyoğlu. Istanbul Modern has welcomed over 8 million 500 thousand visitors and provided free art education to 850 thousand children and young people. The new building will allow the museum to continue its mission of sharing Turkey’s artistic creativity and cultural identity with the local and international art worlds. Visitors can expect a stunning architectural experience that combines contemporary design with historic features in the heart of Istanbul's Karaköy district.

 

****

Cover photo: © Cemal Emden

Courtesy of RPBW