Kuzum Baba Project Proposition
A civic belvedere and circular courtyard that reconnects the city, the hillside, and the sea.
Project Vision
Kuzum Baba is imagined as a public landmark: an accessible path up the rocky slope culminating in a semicircular courtyard, a light belvedere tower, and panoramic terraces. The project anchors everyday civic life, sunset walks, small performances, outdoor markets, while protecting the hill’s geology and vegetation.
Design Concept
The plan draws a half-ring carved into the rock, oriented to frame sea and city views. A central stair threads through the composition, linking low plaza to upper promenade. The tower marks the highest point, a vertical counterpart to the amphitheater-like court.
- Reversibility: foundations and retaining walls sized to minimize excavation.
- Geometry: radial grid with modular bays and deep shadows.
- Spatial sequence: path → ramp → courtyard → roof promenade → belvedere.
Program
Civic Courtyard
Shaded colonnade with flexible niches for kiosks, exhibitions and pop-up events.
Belvedere Tower
Lightweight lookout offering 360° views; potential for small café/interpretation room below.
Roof Promenade
Accessible walkway along the ring with seating edges and night lighting.
Support
Storage, accessible restrooms, technical rooms hidden within the retaining mass.
Landscape & Access
A gentle S‑curve path ascends the hill, widening into lookouts and rest pockets. New trees supplement existing pines and cypresses; slopes are stabilized with planted stone terraces. Drainage follows the natural topography to avoid erosion. Limited car access is reserved for maintenance and events; visitors arrive on foot or shuttle.
Architecture & Materials
- Robust, local textures; hand‑tooled stone, lime plaster, precast elements; create crisp shadows and longevity. The colonnade provides passive cooling; night-time use is enabled by efficient, low‑glare lighting. Balustrades and bridge elements are slender to preserve views. The structure is designed in phases to suit budget.
- Low‑impact foundations tied to rock.
- Natural finishes; limited visible steel.
- Energy‑smart lighting and rainwater capture for irrigation.