Kocaeli National Will Square

The canopy, the most defining architectural element of the project, acts both as a shelter from the city’s bustle and as a permeable structure that enriches public life, transforming the square into a living urban organism.

Architects Ahmet Mucip Urger and Ali Ozer, known for their award winning architectural and public realm projects that emphasize the relationship between the built environment and people, have added a new urban scale project to their portfolio. Designed on the former Persembe Pazari site across a 50 000 square meter area, National Will Square was envisioned as an accessible and inclusive public space at the heart of the city. The project includes a multipurpose hall, fitness and sports facilities, a library, kiosk, cafe, retail units, market and fair areas, educational workshops and classrooms, an open air cinema, children’s playgrounds, and a parking structure for 366 vehicles.

In Kocaeli, a city shaped by productive and industrial dynamics, the project addresses the lack of high quality public spaces and the need for a central civic focal point capable of gathering urban energy. After the relocation of the former market, the area was used as a parking lot. Through the vision of Ozer Urger Architecture, it has now been redefined, opening a new chapter in the city’s collective memory.

Located in the city center and surrounded by key public buildings with direct connections to public transportation, the square becomes a democratic ground accessible to all. Ozer Urger Architecture reinterprets the square not as an empty void but as an urban generator, a space that fuels social interaction, cultural continuity, and everyday activity.

Redefining the idea of a square for everyone, the design brings together the concepts of a city stage, a canopy, and an urban generator within a single architectural framework. At the center of this vision is the canopy, the project’s most characteristic feature. It offers refuge from the city’s intensity while supporting public life through its permeable structure. The multifunctional program beneath it brings together different social and age groups, turning the square into an active and engaging environment. The green belt surrounding the canopy strengthens the connection to landscape and supports spatial continuity and interaction with nature.

With Kocaeli National Will Square, Ozer Urger Architecture presents not only a physical transformation but also a contemporary urban stage that redefines public life. Blending the city’s memory with present day social dynamics, the square aims to reinforce the sense of belonging and create a lasting public experience.