Rebuilding Atatürk Culture Center with 10 years delay

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently unveiled plans for the new Atatürk Culture Center (AKM) at the Haliç Congress Center. Istanbul really needs such a building.

I arrived on a friend’s arm at 11.15 am but could not enter because of the crowd. Many people such as myself from the culture and arts world were also unable to enter.

I will ask a favor in the name of those who could not enter.

Can Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmuş provide more detailed information to a smaller audience, together with the building’s architect Murat Tabanlıoğlu?

This building deserves such a meeting. I watched the program introducing the new AKM on TV.

The building and its architecture is brilliant. It is a successful design that boasts many functions.

I agree with the president on the importance of completing the project after a 10-year delay.

Visitors should not only come here for the events. It should have a place in people’s day-to-day lives too.

Undoubtedly, the president wants to ensure the extensive reach of the building and I agree with his wish. It must be a living place.

I embrace the fact that the building has libraries, design shops and cafes.

In such a big building, every evening and every hour of the day, there must be an event. It can reach this goal only if they run the building this way.

Those who come to watch an opera, play or film must be able to satisfy all their cultural needs here.

The acoustics in the opera, concert and theater halls must all be different from each other. A one-size-fits-all approach to acoustics would be a waste of effort.

That is why the idea of “multifunctional hall” has always scared me. We need to be careful about how we carry out these projects worth billions of dollars.

I give importance to the feeling of loyalty.

The new AKM is designed by Murat Tabanlıoğlu, the son of the old AKM’s architect Hayati Tabanlıoğlu. I believe consistency runs in the family.

Another important aspect is that the facade of the building resembles the old one. This is a sign of respect to its first architect.

These are my personal opinions about the building:

The books in its library should cover music, architecture, visual arts and the history of esthetics. There should also be books about Turkish classical music, Western music and folk music as well as autobiographies and history books in these areas.

Setting up a thematic library here could also be very helpful.

They must sell both long plays and CDs as well as DVDs of operas and music from the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) broadcaster. Turkey’s Presidential Symphony Orchestra records and its CDs can also be sold at the AKM.

Educational facilities in art, music and theatre should be made available to children. Art especially should be taught to children.

Music can inspire children through live performances.

Let’s not forget about technology. Visitors must learn about international art and artists from the internet.

For all disabled people, the necessary sound and touch tools must be present inside.

I wholeheartedly hope Erdoğan’s wish comes true.

“We are starting today the work that needed to start 10 years ago. AKM is an honor for Istanbul. It will become a landmark,” the president said.