Common Nature

Common Nature is a food research and production centre designed for Istanbul. It takes the pre-development condition of the site near Levent Metro, now occupied by a mosque, as its starting point. Bringing food research, production and consumption together among offices and dense urban activity, it proposes a new public destination for Istanbul’s future.

The project responds to two everyday disconnects: office workers’ limited contact with daylight and nature during the working day, and the losses associated with transporting fruit and vegetables through long supply chains to major cities. Bringing production into the city aims to shorten that distance while reconnecting urban residents with the process of growing food.

Urban Agriculture At Factory Scale

The central investigation is how alternative growing methods can become architecture at an industrial scale. Aeroponic, hydroponic and aquaponic approaches are considered alongside vertical production areas, rotating growing modules, maintenance routes and service spaces. Extending from an individual cultivation unit to a complete production building, the study makes agriculture a defining element of the architectural programme and spatial organisation.

From Research To Production

A food research and development centre, with laboratories and experimental cultivation areas, initiates this cycle. The project investigates the potential benefits of responsible, purpose-led use of genetically modified organisms in food production. The GMO and Golden Rice examples in the presentation establish the conceptual background for this approach. Improved nutrient content, adaptation to growing conditions and products developed for different users’ needs form the core of the research programme. Developing vitamin and mineral profiles, including vitamin D-rich options, is framed as a research objective.

Production, Table And City

Using the fruit and vegetables grown on site in the building’s restaurants establishes a direct link between research and daily life. Retail, market areas, kitchens and places to rest share the programme with laboratories, administration, storage and packing spaces. The relationship between production and public circulation allows visitors to observe the growing process.

The distribution scenario explores drone delivery associated with roofs and terraces alongside road logistics. Research, harvest, dining and distribution are conceived as parts of a single architectural system.

Production Made Visible Through Light

The neon character of the grow lights shapes the building’s spatial identity. Production spaces illuminated in purple and pink are paired with daylight-filled public routes, green terraces and visitor spaces. Common Nature proposes making agricultural production an urban experience that contributes to everyday life and visitor culture in Istanbul.