The Kanyon Shopping Arcade

Right at the heart of Istanbul’s hustle and bustle, a new concept has awakened, turning heads, inspiring gasps of wonder, and changing notions of what contemporary urban life can look like. Kanyon is a new city within the city, a mini metropolis, that captures Istanbul’s spooled up energy, and unfurls it an inspiring new shape of things to come.

Debuting to the world’s attention last June, Kanyon is a wholly new approach to mixed-use projects. Built in downtown Istanbul’s financial district, it unites 179 residential apartments, a 26-storey office block and 37,500m2 of retail space to undulate around a dramatic architectural “canyon”.

Instead of being another mixed-use project which simply addresses corned beef and cock needs (residential, retail and commercial) Kanyon is a destination neighbourhood. It’s a place where the individual parts interact to create a new urban flow about home, work and play.

Kanyon is Istanbul’s urban oasis.

A 21st Century Grand Bazaar

Given the right environment, shopping is as much a form of entertainment as it is a transaction. This philosophy and its unique design is what separates Kanyon’s 160-store retail space from a standard shopping mall or a high street.

Kanyon’s four retail levels are set in a primarily open-air environment, each with its own energy and vibe, much like a city street. Wrapped around the dramatic interior canyon, each “street” gives shoppers the chance to connect with brands in a new way, making shopping a process of discovery that is intuitive and exciting.However, unlike a city street, most walking areas are covered and climate controlled, blending natural light and open-air with comfort that allows visitors to enjoy every season without suffering its excesses.

This dramatic environment is in part what’s encouraged dozens of brands to enter Turkey for the first time, joining with many of the country’s leading names to create a 21st century shopping and entertainment experience that is dazzling but never dizzying, exciting without being exhausting, and complete without committing overkill.

Wagamama, Douglas, Bally are just a few of the prestigous names joining world renowned fashion mecca Harvey Nichols in debuting in Turkey. Bringing with them an unrivalled (and often previously unoffered) selection of brands that have earned it the foremost position in the UK’s fashion scene, Harvey Nichols will continue to shake up Istanbul’s fashion scene, placing it and Kanyon’s retailers at the epicenter.

Perhaps not since the Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) opened in the 1500s has the entire South European region seen the debut of such a dramatically new style of shopping environment.

my HOME