Turkish practice Melike Altinisik Architects – MAA participated in the 21st Brand Conference in Tersan Istanbul (Golden Horn Port) with “The Gate” interactive installation.
“Where, how and what do we live? What kind of universe are we moving into?”
Using these unanswered questions that Melik Altinisic Architects are still searching for answers to, “The Gate” was created. MAA’s installation, “The Gate,” creates an interactive spatial interface between the “present” and the “future.” At the same time, MAA seeks to provide a new perspective that brings sustainable awareness to healing the wounds we have left to nature and humanity for future generations.
“The Gate” appeared like Tersan at the intersection of 550 years of mossy and flat history, existing at the intersection of nature and humanity. The “gate” exists in a blurred “moment” and “space” that includes movement, social interaction, and perceptual existence with the observer. People are constantly questioned throughout their lives.
“Present and future” is a common expression in nature and the cosmos that expresses the principle of duality and complementarity. All spatial and functional transitions in Terson’s historical process reflect the duality of continuity and discontinuity in its natural environment.
People encounter limits before entering this frame and are unaware of them. People cry when they see the sea, the sky when they touch the land, the day when they know night and the “future” when they live in the “present”.
“The Gate” refers to the historical process that surrounds it in the physical layer, leading to its location. “The Gate” maintains a new frame with a corten gate to the city, which contains contradictions, dualities and the definition of limitlessness. At the same time, the perforated reflective surface at its center blurs all dichotomies. People face the city at this unique point where land and sea meet. When experiencing “The Gate”, humans can observe themselves and what they leave behind.
“The Gate” tells the story of the present and the future through a digital layer that interacts with the perforated metal surface that is reflected at the intersection. The digital layer of AR (augmented reality technology) in the “gate” confronts the observer with the worlds of “present” and “future” at the intersection of time. The “Present” interface creates scenarios in the AR world to raise awareness of the climate issues that shake our world and lives every day.
“The Gate” allows the audience to witness the present-day destruction of nature and the surreal destruction of the urban landscape in a changing world. As technological tectonics shift and evolve people begin to perceive the return of wild nature (and rewilding nature) at the “future” interface. Wild nature will rise in the “future” and humans, nature and technology will coexist in harmony. Nature revived the story of the struggle to tackle today’s climate crisis.
“THE GATE” builds a long-term bridge between the present and the future and expresses itself through an AR interface. Apart from their morphology, it confronts them with various situations. “The Gate” is a metamorphosis, not a transformation. This journey established by “THE GATE” over time is a self-questioning one in nature.
“The Gate” is an experience of balancing humans, nature and technology.
To learn more about Melike Altinisik and MAA, you can listen to PA Talks 20 – Melike Altinisik
Project information
position: Tersan Istanbul
year: 2022
Size: 180 sq.m
organization: Marka 2022
Sponsor: Yapı Kredi World
Curation: In-Between Design Platform
Architect: Melike Altinisik Architects-MAA
Design: Melike Altinisik
Creative Media Lead: Bengu Osmutlu
The project team: Bengu Ozmutlu, Elifkan Merden, Eze Tunka
Project Creative Consultant: Melih Altinisic
Assistant Team: Selen Bektas, Nursena Colak, Abdullah Malla, Mert Nalincioglu, Duru Yolac, Seima Olke
Digital Fabrication: MAALab
Fabrication Contractor: DDF – Dream Design Factory
Photography: Grier – Mehmet Akif Sari
