Atatürk Cultural Center Reopens in Istanbul with Major Renovation

The Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Istanbul reopened on October 29, 2021, the 98th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, following a comprehensive architectural renovation by Tabanlıoğlu Architects led by Manolo Tabanlıoğlu. The original building, dating to the 1950s, was demolished in 2018 to make way for the new structure. The center features a main auditorium with 2,100 seats, an 800-seat theater, a three-story museum, a children's art center, a library with over 20,000 volumes on art, design, and architecture, a cinema, cafes, and restaurants, including one with panoramic views of the Bosphorus. The facade is more transparent, revealing the red-dominated main hall. All construction materials are made in Turkey, including ceramic wall panels and red ceramics for the dome. The project was championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. The AKM is the flagship of the Beyoglu Culture Route, which includes Gezi Park, Taksim Mosque, Taksim Maksim Casino (now an exhibition space), Grand Pera, Galata Tower, Tophane-i Amire Cultural Center, Galataport, and the Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk. The Beyoglu Culture Route Festival launched concurrently, potentially becoming an annual event celebrating contemporary Turkish culture, with the next edition possibly in spring 2022.