The Trabzon Culture and Art Center project is situated in an old-new city transition zone, characterized by an urban morphology that layers parallel to the sea. The surrounding environment is an urban mosaic where monumental historical structures are superimposed with new developments, heavily fragmented by vehicle-centric planning and undefined boundary relations resulting from subtractions over time. In response, the proposal aims to revitalize the surrounding urban blocks, monument clusters, and fragmented open spaces by introducing a culture and art center that blends high culture with daily urban life. Operating as an open-ended public space beyond defined events, the center actively supports continuous usage. Because it is located at the highly visible intersection of two main city arteries where current planning prioritizes vehicle traffic, the urban approach heavily focuses on barrier-free access. This is achieved through strategic interventions such as elevated pedestrian crossings, reducing road turning radii to calm traffic, widening sidewalks along high-density pedestrian "desire" routes, and re-establishing the disrupted connection between the Gülbahar Hatun Mosque and Zağnos Valley Park.

Addressing the site's density, the audience and stage areas of the required halls alone consume two-thirds of the plot's footprint. Placing this program on a single plan level would eliminate ground-floor space for urban functions, so the halls are separated vertically in section to accommodate their independent usage needs. The building's center of gravity is positioned to the south to create an iconic addition to the city skyline, while the northern area is designed as a cultural square integrating with the Atapark and Zağnos Valley ecosystems. This square, located at the +32.00 elevation, features a black box, workshop areas, and viewing terraces open for daily public use. A spatial spine under the Opera and Ballet Hall connects the square to various pedestrian access points, creating a flexible cultural topography. Entrances for the Theater Hall and Black Box open to this square at the +32.00 level, whereas the Opera and Ballet Hall is elevated to +41.00. Public and audience circulation is managed through independent entrances at the respective foyers, with the two halls connected by a shared elevator core and open stairs. To divert vehicle traffic from the main artery, storage and parking entrances are located on İmaret Hamam Street. Scenery storages are physically separated in the plan with independent entrances and elevators, ensuring the halls can operate autonomously. Furthermore, artist and VIP entrances are situated on the east facade, providing discrete access from the parking and +32.00 levels without intersecting general user circulation.  

The interior configurations of the performance spaces are strictly tailored to their specific acoustic and functional requirements. The Theater Hall is designed as a fully equipped facility with a proscenium stage, a rectangular form, and a balconied seating layout. It provides an acoustic volume of approximately 4 to 5 cubic meters per seat, which is the recommended scale for drama and speech-focused venues. Conversely, the Opera and Ballet Hall is designed in a rectangular form without a balcony. This balcony-free layout greatly enhances acoustic continuity within the hall. The rectangular shape, rather than a traditional horseshoe design, was deliberately chosen so that early reflections from the side walls have more predictable directions and delay times, optimally supporting lateral sound energy. Meeting the competition's capacity requirements on a single parterre level ultimately allowed for a structural massing solution that is highly homogeneous, controllable, and economical.