The aim of the project is to create a master plan for a new residential district in south east Istanbul, adjacent to the new Ozeygin University. FIBA desired a genuine alternative lifestyle to the dense apartment world of central Istanbul and therefore modelled this residential concept on Europe’s great University cities where 'town meets gown'. Lifestyle and education become fully integrated; each complements the other. The site is challenging topographically and there are constraints imposed by the local zoning permissions. The development brief also requires a range of residential typologies and a series of gated communities. The design takes advantage of the topography, locating six storey apartment blocks at the top of each hill to avoid blocking the views for low-rise villas, simplex and duplex units. This establishes a clear suburban order; routes focus onto a new town centre zone with retail, leisure and public realm functions. The masterplan introduces an important unifying strategy for the entire town – the concept of the 'contour garden'. We selected one geographic contour level that passes though all areas of the development and creates a single level pedestrian environment, flowing and connecting each residential zone. ©Swanke Hayden Connell Mimarlık