GEZİ PARKI LIBRARY 

2014
Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey


The aim of this project is to design a partition for the D Block Hall using a modular system. The design explores the interplay of light and shadow to evoke memory and reflection — honoring those we have lost during the protests to protect the public space.

Inspired by the 2013 Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, this project takes reference from the open library created during the occupation. The protest, which arose in response to the planned demolition of Gezi Park in Taksim Square, became a powerful symbol of public solidarity and the reclaiming of communal space. In this act of collective resistance, protestors built a library in the park — an emblem of shared knowledge and unity.

In this design, a modular system of open cube forms is placed between the columns in D Block Hall. These cubes are intertwined, and at their intersections, images are embedded — each representing individuals who lost their lives during the Gezi Park protests. Behind these intersections, light sources cast shadows of the images onto the walls.

As people pass through the hall, their shadows merge with the projected silhouettes of those remembered — creating a visual and emotional moment of connection. The design invites reflection on memory, loss, resistance, and the enduring power of solidarity.