Muammer Karaca Theatre
Located in the heart of Beyoğlu, Muammer Karaca Theatre was founded in 1955 by Muammer Karaca, one of the leading figures of Turkish boulevard theatre, and designed by architect Perran Doğancı. Situated on a cul-de-sac opening onto İstiklal Avenue, the theatre has been an important part of Istanbul’s cultural memory for over half a century. The building complex brings together three structures from different periods: a 19th-century Beyoğlu apartment building, the former French Court building, and the theatre itself. The renovation project reconsiders the relationship between these architectural layers, aiming to preserve their distinct identities while establishing new spatial and functional connections.
The restoration and adaptive reuse of Muammer Karaca Theatre took shape through a process initiated by İBB Miras approximately seven years ago. Novos Studio joined the project during its final four years. The restoration works and project management were carried out by İBB Miras.
The architectural approach centres on a transparent atrium inserted between the three structures. By separating the theatre volume from the historic apartment building, the project reveals the building’s original façade and spatial character, previously concealed by later interventions. Bringing natural light into the depth of the complex, the atrium becomes the main foyer and a shared space for circulation, gathering, and social interaction. Conceived as an in-between space, it allows the historical and contemporary layers to coexist without dissolving their differences, making the building’s transformation legible through a restrained architectural language.
The renewed programme accommodates a 300-seat theatre, rehearsal and educational spaces within the former apartment building, and a flexible exhibition and performance hall in the vaulted French Court building. Each structure retains its architectural character while contributing to a collective cultural programme. Extending the public life of the street into the building, the atrium establishes a new relationship between the theatre and the city. Rather than simply preserving the past, the project approaches architectural memory as a living condition, creating opportunities for new uses, encounters, and meanings to emerge over time.
