Transparency as A Component of Public Space

Abstract

Transparency is an element that establishes indoor space and outer space relationships; and determines the existence and strength of this relationship, as well as the ability to transmit light and contribute to visual interiors. However, apart from all these, transparency allows buildings to be an urban element, except the buildings, which require privacy at a higher level, such as housing. While transparent facades used in the houses integrate the building with nature; transparency in public buildings gives the message that everything is clear and it offers the possibility to fuse with other urban elements. For this reason, in the scope of the study, transparency is regarded as a recreating element of public space; and its ability to attach the interior space to urban life is focused on. The theoretical part of the essay is based on the meaning of transparency in terms of architectural and urban space and how transparency is conceptualized in the literature. The meaning of transparency as an element that defines architectural and public space physically, symbolically, and socially and the way in which this meaning takes place in architecture is examined in detail through three main headings based on the research in international literature. These are; literal, phenomenal and experiential. Literal transparency indicates how clear the visual boundary between the interior and the exterior space is, depending on the physical characteristics of the material. Phenomenal transparency is a type of architectural organization rather than the visual qualities of material used on the facade. Briefly, it describes the layered structure of the facade elements, voids and even the form and their existence in a certain harmony without interfering with each other. Finally, experiential transparency is concerned with how easily the user can access the building and how the structure relates to the urban space. In this context, Yapi Kredi Cultural Center in Istiklal Street-Beyoglu, one of the most important Streets in Istanbul-Turkey, is selected as a case study. This new-to-old project is discussed within the framework of the concepts of “literal, phenomenal and experiential transparency”. The building, which is designed and renovated by Teget Architecture, is located in a street, where social life vitality became increasingly questioning during the recent years. In this context, it is observed that the building will contribute to the public character of the Istiklal Street. It has been observed that transparency has made the building an important component of public space by making street users feel the continuity of the outdoor inside. At this point, the study reveals that public and cultural experiences and urban continuity can be achieved through transparency and it contributes the literature in this respect.