Lots of shopping malls have water features. But few compare, in size and potential drawing power, with WaterGarden, a giant mall that opened in the Atasehir district of Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this year.
This 165,000-sm (1.78-million-sf) complex, which focuses on gastronomy and entertainment, has 49,000 sm of leasable space for more than 150 independent retail units. But what really stands out is its 5,000-sm exterior “show pool” that is this project’s “visual and functional center,” according to its interior designer, Gorkem Volkan Design Studio (GVDS). T Concept was WaterGarden’s architect.
This is Europe’s largest show pool within what the complex’s developer, Ziylan Gayimenkul, calls a “living center.” The pool, which Germany-based OASE constructed, stages a variety of events and performances accompanied by a choreography of water, music, lasers, and fire. The pool is surrounded by the complex’s Gastronomy Center, which consists of restaurants, bistros, cafeterias and food court that feature unique foods and flavors from Turkish and world cuisines.
WaterGarden Istanbul includes a variety of eating places that offer Turkish and world cuisines. Image: Courtesy Gorkem Volkan Design Studio
There’s a “Nostalgia Street,” which offers brands of food and drink from throughout Turkey that have been around for more than 50 years. An Organic Market sells fresh produce, and is designed to connect to the mall’s botanical garden.
The complex has 15,000 sm of open space that encompasses City Park, designed by DS Architecture, with a rope track, an adventure park, a skate park, and children’s park. WaterGarden Istanbul also includes an 11-screen cinema, an “event arena” with a 4,000-person capacity, a theater hall, a school of culinary arts, a sports center, and children’s playground and crèche.
Real Estate News Turkey reported last year that WaterGarden Istanbul is targeting 15 million visitors per year, and expects to contribute the equivalent of $300 million to Turkey’s economy annually. The complex is located next to the International Finance Center, and is drawing customers from a primary market with more than 1 million residents.
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2023
New 20,000-seat soccer stadium will anchor neighborhood development in Indianapolis
A new 20,000-seat soccer stadium for United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven will be the centerpiece of a major neighborhood development in Indianapolis. The development will transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis by adding more than 600 apartments, 205,000 sf of office space, 197,000 sf for retail space and restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.
Retail Centers | Feb 24, 2023
Santiago Calatrava unveils plans for a luxury retail and office complex in Düsseldorf, Germany
Renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, along with the CENTRUM Group, has unveiled plans for Calatrava Boulevard, a luxury retail and office complex in Düsseldorf, Germany. Running parallel to Königsallee and connecting with the Steinstrasse station, Calatrava Boulevard will incorporate and connect to the boulevard’s existing buildings.
Codes and Standards | Feb 21, 2023
Standards vs Guidelines: The benefits of establishing process
The unsung hero of standards may be the impact they can have on speed to market and price of product and project, according to IA Interior Architects.
Intelligent Lighting | Feb 13, 2023
Exploring intelligent lighting usage in healthcare, commercial facilities
SSR's Todd Herrmann, PE, LEEP AP, explains intelligent lighting's potential use cases in healthcare facilities and more.
Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023
New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel
See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Giants 400 | Jan 31, 2023
2022 Retail Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. retail building sector
Gensler, CallisonRTKL, Kimley-Horn, Henderson Engineers, Whiting-Turner Contracting, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest retail sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2022 Giants 400 Report.
High-rise Construction | Dec 7, 2022
SOM reveals its design for Singapore’s tallest skyscraper
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has revealed its design for 8 Shenton Way—a mixed-use tower that will stand 63 stories and 305 meters (1,000 feet) high, becoming Singapore’s tallest skyscraper. The design team also plans to make the building one of Asia’s most sustainable skyscrapers. The tower incorporates post-pandemic design features.
Mixed-Use | Dec 6, 2022
Houston developer plans to convert Kevin Roche-designed ConocoPhillips HQ to mixed-use destination
Houston-based Midway, a real estate investment, development, and management firm, plans to redevelop the former ConocoPhillips corporate headquarters site into a mixed-use destination called Watermark District at Woodcreek.
Retail Centers | Nov 29, 2022
'Social' tenants play a vital role in the health of the retail center market
After a long Covid-induced period when the public avoided large gatherings, owners of malls and retail lifestyle centers are increasingly focused on attracting tenants that provide opportunities for socialization. Pent-up demand for experiences involving gatherings of people is fueling renovations and redesigns of large retail developments.
Retail Centers | Nov 17, 2022
Streetwear brand Culture Kings plants its flag in Las Vegas
The immersive retail concept gives customers more reasons to stay in the store longer.
