A combination of geographical features has seen the city of Sivas remain one of the greatest focal points of settlement and transit in the Greater Anatolia Region of Turkey.  The region is divided in two by the K?z?l?rmak River, the longest river entirely within Turkey, and it has long been regarded as a barrier to unification. Due to access and safety concerns,  K?z?l?rmak River has been separated from Sivas, perceived as something outside of the city perimeter. Now, advancements in flood mitigation have opened up the possibilities for the river to be re-integrated into the city fabric. 

Courtesy of ONZ Architects and MDesign

A combination of geographical features has seen the city of Sivas remain one of the greatest focal points of settlement and transit in the Greater Anatolia Region of Turkey.  The region is divided in two by the K?z?l?rmak River, the longest river entirely within Turkey, and it has long been regarded as a barrier to unification. Due to access and safety concerns,  K?z?l?rmak River has been separated from Sivas, perceived as something outside of the city perimeter. Now, advancements in flood mitigation have opened up the possibilities for the river to be re-integrated into the city fabric. To investigate the possible role of the river in holistically reuniting the two halves of the area, the Sivas Municipality opened a competition to design a six million square meters of land adjacent to the waterfront. A scheme from a team comp...