Zorlu Ecocity is a mixed-use development of 588,850 square metres on a 9.6 ha site located at the southern extremity of Buyukdere Street in Istanbul . The plan is conceptualised as an ecological city within a city in line with the polycentric planning strategy of the Istanbul Metropolitan Planning and Urban Design Centre, which aims to multiply the number of urban centres throughout the Marmara region to relieve pressure on Istanbul historic core.

A symbol of Istanbul’s aspiration, the design for Zorlu Ecocity is a contemporary response in architecture to the city’s re-emergence as a cultural nexus exemplified by its selection as European Capital of Culture in 2010. The design embodies new spatial configurations. The result is a vibrant focus for urban life relieving pressure on the historic core of the city. The internal planning and pedestrian circulation system within the shopping mall is a modern interpretation of the Grand Bazaar and the lanes that radiate from Istiklal Caddesi.

The concept takes the form of 14 towers ranging from 8 to 26 storeys. The roof silhouette of the towers is shaped to collectively form a gentle curve reflecting the rounded summits of the seven hills upon which Istanbul is located. The form is not unlike a ‘citadel’ overlooking the Bosphorus alluding to the proud history of Istanbul as the former capital of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires. Consideration has been given to the silhouette of the towers particularly when viewed from the south and east as a backdrop to the Bosphorus and from the south west and west when approaching the site by car or bus from the E5 Motorway or D100 Highway . Conceptually the design can also be read as a ‘visual link’ connecting Europe and Asia .