THE EDGE KNOT / KARAHAN GÜNDÜZ

The Urban Interface Sivas is a city defined by a powerful duality: its deeply rooted historic identity and its rapidly expanding modern development zones. The Edge Knot is designed as a vital urban intervention at this very threshold. Rather than acting as a physical barrier, the building functions as a permeable interface that bridges the vitality of the old city center with the emerging potential of the new urban periphery. By rejecting the traditional notion of a solid wall, the design creates a dynamic passage that invites the community to transition seamlessly between the different narratives of the city.

The Heart of the City: A Modern “Meydan” The project draws its primary inspiration from Sivas’s thousand-year-old urban heritage, where every path and street inevitably “knots” at the central city square. This project transposes that historic principle into a contemporary architectural form. The building is organized around a vast Central Courtyard, a deliberate “urban void” that serves as a modern interpretation of the traditional Sivas Square. This central opening acts as the primary circulation core, where the internal administrative life of the municipality meets the external movement of the citizens. It is a space designed for transparency, gathering, and civic participation.

Reconnecting with the Natural Axis. A defining element of the project is its relationship with the Mısmıl River. The design extends beyond the building’s footprint to revitalize the surrounding landscape, creating a continuous green pedestrian axis along the water. This green corridor acts as a natural artery, pulling the public toward the building and integrating the municipal service center into the city’s ecological fabric.

Recalibrating Urban Traces By “re-knotting” the vehicular and pedestrian axes of the site, the project transforms a passive boundary into an active gathering point. The Edge Knot stands as a symbolic and physical junction, ensuring that as Sivas grows, it remains connected to its cultural essence. It is a modern sanctuary that honors the city’s past while paving the way for its future.