Istanbul’s Valens Archway could be rejuvenated with “floating” housing concept

The Valens Archway, an aqueduct in Istanbul built at the end of the 4^th century by the Roman Emperor Valens, provided the city with water during the middle century. Today, however, the remaining section of the archway is nothing more than a forgotten landmark in the busy and historic Istanbul district of Fatih.

But it may not be forgotten for long, as Superspace, a Turkish architecture studio, has plans to transform the over 3000-foot-long structure into a recreational and residential space.

According to designboom.com, the proposal suggests building a vertical wooden grid above the archways that would serve as a linear underlay for wooden housing modules suspended above the walkway. Each volume of wooden housing units would be clad in a heat-treated wooden façade. The wood houses and the old stonework of the aqueduct would create a dichotomy of old and new, hard and soft, and heavy and light, the architects say.

The goal of the project is to generate “an alternate elevated life, keeping tabs on the city, instead of just being watched,” Superspace writes of the project on the studio’s website.

Rendering courtesy of Superspace.

Rendering courtesy of Superspace.

Rendering courtesy of Superspace.

Rendering courtesy of Superspace.