B.

ÆRIUM’s Izmit Town Center project has been awarded the Gold Award for “Best Future Project” by Retail & Leisure International at the prestigious RLI Awards ceremony in London. Selected by an international jury convened by RLI Magazine, the project stood out among a highly competitive global field—shortlisted alongside three major developments from China. In total, 138 projects across 17 categories were evaluated.

​

Spanning a 52,000 sqm site with 130,000 sqm of development rights, the Izmit Town Center project is conceived as a vibrant, mixed-use destination. The program brings together residential units, office spaces, a hotel, concert hall, art center, and a dynamic retail offering including restaurants, a cinema, and fitness facilities. Designed as a hub for social and cultural life, the development is set to become a defining destination within a revitalized city center, with a projected asset value exceeding USD 400 million.

​

As a key regional hub, İzmit has historically grown around major highway and rail connections. While these infrastructures ensure strong regional accessibility, they also fragment the urban fabric, effectively dividing the city into separate zones.

​

Responding to this challenge, the project aligns with the municipality’s vision to reconnect the historic town center with its broader urban context and establish a cohesive, city-scale core. By overcoming the physical barriers created by transport infrastructure, the scheme introduces a highly connected, sustainable, and mixed-use environment that acts as a catalyst for broader urban regeneration.

​

A network of new pedestrian connections, high-quality public spaces, and landscaped boulevards will anchor the development, creating a strong civic identity and a new focal point for the city. Ultimately, the project transforms a fragmented industrial and commercial area into a lively urban district—one that not only revitalizes its immediate surroundings but also lays the groundwork for future integration with the marina and waterfront leisure areas to the southwest.

​​