Thierry Dreyfus lights up Istanbul's 'fairy-haunted' Perili Köşk mansion
As the economic behemoth that is Turkey sprints into the future (see W* 176 celebrating the CIVETS countries), reminders of the past remain few and far between. Perili Köşk – otherwise known as the fairy-haunted mansion – is a spectacular exception, teetering on the western bank of the Bosphorus in the heart of Istanbul.
The century-old manor, home to the Borusan Contemporary Art Museum, remained unfinished for decades, until a recent renovation brought it back into the cultural sphere. A new installation by lighting designer Thierry Dreyfus does even better, setting it alight at night and, as the artist says, 'brings the fairies back into view'.
Dreyfus takes the building's most distinctive features - the cantilevered balconies that hug the corners and curve around the nine-storey spire - and illuminates them from below with cosmic video screens embedded in the undersides. As dusk falls and the muezzins begin the evening call to prayer, the screens come alive with recordings of passing clouds, currents of water, or rays of sun peeking through the trees. It's as if the building were broadcasting scenes from its own memory.
The Borusan originally commissioned the installation as part of the 13th Istanbul Biennial. After lighting up briefly in September, it came to life again this week in honour of the 70th anniversary of the Borusan Foundation, rescuer of the building.
As for the best view? Dreyfus says it's from the Bosphorus – from the hundreds of boats that float past each evening. 'When the sun sets, when the images of the films are melting into the sky,' he muses. Passers-by, however, will also get an eyeful for some time to come, as the installation is set to light up the historical building for the next three years.
INFORMATION
Borusan Contemporary Art Museum
Baltalimanı Hisar Street
Perili Köşk No:5
34470 Sariyer
Istanbul
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
This office interior by Faye Toogood is a communal space that encourages collaboration
The new Hato Studio London offices by Faye Toogood encourage IRL collaboration through a tactile environment
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Toyota bz4X SUV is the marque’s first pure electric vehicle
The Toyota bz4X is our first chance to explore how the long-standing masters of mass automobile production make an EV
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ash Tree House offers a contextual approach to a north London site
Ash Tree House by Edgley Design is a modern family home in a north London conservation area's backyard site
By Ellie Stathaki Published