Ion Riva, the new 84-hectare urban development in the Beykoz district north of Istanbul on the shores of the Black Sea, is taking shape, promoted by real estate development company Ion with the collaboration of consulting firm Urbanion, international architecture firms Snøhetta, Bjarke Ingels Group and MVRDV, and a local design team (KEYM, DB Architects, Rasa and Bilgin Architects).

The intervention aims to combine settlement quality and sustainability, focusing on the balance between people and the environment and the development of community dynamics to create a vibrant and attractive neighborhood.

The district, which in the first phase will accommodate 3,000 residents, will include housing of various types, green spaces, sports infrastructure, educational, cultural, receptive and social spaces, distributed in coherence with the site orography and interwoven by a network of paths and public spaces that promote slow mobility and views of the landscape. The use of local and natural materials (stone and wood), as well as passive design techniques and energy production from renewable sources, will ensure a minimal ecological footprint.

Three cultural buildings with evocative names will be the focal points around which the entire district will revolve: The Ring, designed by Snøhetta, is a circular structure along the river that will provide a refuge in nature; the Drop, designed by BIG and located along the shoreline, will house a bar, restaurant, wellness spaces and public art spaces in the drop-shaped wooden volume; The Lantern, designed by MVRDV, is the centerpiece of the cultural program with a performing arts center, film theaters, community spaces, an art gallery and a bookstore. In the heart of the neighborhood, a fourth building will provide spaces for creativity, art and culture, as well as co-working areas and sports facilities.

Work is underway for the first residents to come and settle in June 2027.