From power plant to energy museum: spatial perception of Santralistanbul

Abstract

In this study, the spatial effect of gathering old industrial technologies and new technologies together in the utilisation transformations of industrial areas was examined. The study aimed to pave the way for the old–new concept provided to the visitors by approaching the industrial buildings that have become symbols of industrialisation and contemporary architecture within the context of handing down the historical identity phenomenon to the future in terms of space perception. The study focused on examining the transformation of the Silahtaraga Power Plant to santralistanbul and investigating the qualities of the energy museum building. The study has three main constituents; literature review, fieldwork, and data analysis. The factors determining the spatial sense in the study were examined under ten sub-topics. Historic industrial buildings, which reflect the old industry and technology and have lost their purposes, receive new functions through the change in their utilisation, allowing them to maintain their existence. The power stations, which were transformed into energy museums, are buildings that still preserve their equipment and reflect the production techniques and processes. This paper is among the few works that evaluate the energy museum transformed from an industrial building.