80s Coastal Park
A coastal park redesign combining nostalgia, ecological conservation and historical memory
Nostalgia as Design Method
80s Coastal Park redesigns the existing coastal area through the memory of the 1980s. Rather than dividing the park into independent programme zones, the entire site is orchestrated around three primary landscape characters — the Northern Nostalgic Landscape, the Protected Reed Wetland and the Southern Dark Landscape. Nostalgia, ecological conservation and historical memory are combined within a single landscape experience, creating a park that is both deeply specific to its location and accessible to the public.
80s Coastal Park is a 63-hectare academic landscape architecture project located on the Lake Van shoreline in Tuşba, Van. The project integrates nostalgia, ecological conservation, historical interpretation, public recreation and coastal landscape restoration within one coherent landscape masterplan. Organised into three primary landscape regions — the Northern Nostalgic Landscape, the Protected Reed Wetland and the Southern Dark Landscape — the design uses landscape as a medium for preserving collective memory: natural systems are protected rather than recreated, and historical events are interpreted through spatial experiences instead of conventional monuments. The concept development, planning, design, 3D modeling, visualization, video presentation and presentation board were completed by Emirhan Yalçın during university education.
Project Details
Project Highlights
Three-Part Landscape
The park is organised as a sequence of three distinct landscape regions — the Northern Nostalgic Landscape, the Protected Reed Wetland and the Southern Dark Landscape — each with its own character, programme and atmosphere, connected by the continuous coastal promenade and boardwalk system.
Northern Nostalgic Landscape
This region recreates the atmosphere of the 1980s through planting design, open gathering spaces, recreational activities, bicycle routes, cultural references and views toward Lake Van. Its programming is centred on a lively carnival atmosphere and social recreation: a 1,000-seat open-air amphitheatre hosts concerts, theatre and community festivals, while a drive-in open-air cinema recalls the decade's cinema culture. An 80s museum interprets local and global events of the period through curated exhibits, and a network of nostalgic gathering spaces — cafés, terraces, lawns and shaded seating — supports everyday social activity, informal recreation and cultural interpretation across the landscape.
Protected Reed Wetland
The Protected Reed Wetland conserves an existing wetland habitat that has been preserved and ecologically restored as part of the project. Restoration works rehabilitate an existing drainage channel affected by industrial discharge and odour: water flow is maintained, the channel is selectively covered, and landscape treatment improves environmental quality without interrupting natural drainage. The wetland supports rich biodiversity — the reed beds provide breeding and feeding habitat for numerous bird species — and visitor access is carefully controlled through minimal interventions and observation platforms, allowing seasonal birdwatching while limiting disturbance to wildlife. Interpretive signage and environmental education programming introduce visitors to wetland ecology, encouraging conservation-minded use of the landscape.
Southern Dark Landscape
The Southern Dark Landscape is formed on a fill area approximately five metres higher than the surrounding natural terrain. Visitors move through a sequence of outdoor spaces representing different historical events of the 1980s through landscape architecture rather than conventional monuments. Planting, hardscape, topography, open space and strategic viewpoints combine to create a reflective sequence of themed landscape experiences including the Chernobyl disaster memorial landscape, the Space Shuttle Challenger memorial area, the Berlin Wall interpretation space, a 1980 Turkish coup interpretation and the El Chichón volcano interpretation. The elevated Southern Dark Landscape is connected to the Northern Nostalgic Landscape through the long boardwalk crossing the Protected Reed Wetland.
Project Images
80s Coastal Park — Project Video
A cinematic walkthrough of the 80s Coastal Park showcasing the design concept, the three landscape regions, view graphic animation motion, and project atmosphere.
Master Plan
The master plan is organized around three principal landscape regions: the Northern Nostalgic Landscape, the Protected Reed Wetland and the Southern Dark Landscape. The circulation system connects these three regions through pedestrian routes, bridges and public spaces while preserving the existing wetland reed ecosystem.
