The Basilica Cistern Museum is a significant cultural landmark in Istanbul, built by Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. It is the largest enclosed cistern in the city, covering 10,000 square meters and capable of holding 80,000 tons of water. Historically, the cistern supplied water to the Great Palace and nearby structures. It features 336 columns, most of which are marble, and was originally waterproofed with thick Khorasan mortar. After the Ottoman conquest in 1453, it served various purposes, including supplying water to the Topkapı Palace and later becoming a part of the local community. Rediscovered in the mid-16th century by French naturalist Petrus Gyllius, the cistern has been the subject of significant restorations, including the uncovering of Medusa head columns during a major renovation in the 1980s. These columns are notable examples of Roman sculpture and are linked to Greek mythology.

Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Basilica Cistern) Museum in Istanbul has undergone its most extensive restoration to date, led by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and was reopened in 22 July 2022. The restoration focused on enhancing the cistern's structural resilience against earthquakes and modernizing its presentation as a museum. Key restoration efforts included replacing old tensioning iron with stainless steel, constructing a new modular steel walkway to reduce structural load, and removing 700 truckloads of concrete to reveal the original 1500-year-old brick flooring. The removal of 1440 cubic meters of cement mortar also restored the building’s original texture. A new dynamic lighting design and cultural activities were introduced to preserve the site's mystical atmosphere and highlight its features. The museum now provides updated entrance and exit structures, a modern museum store, and improved visitor access, all while preserving its historical and cultural significance.

Returning to a historical site after a period of time typically does not result in a wholly new experience. Our memory retains sensory impressions such as visual elements, emotions, odors, lighting, and the overall ambiance of the space. Consequently, when revisiting, these memories are reactivated, and key elements that initially impacted us often resurface. However, this phenomenon did not apply in the case of the renovated Basilica Cistern. The space appeared stark in terms of its structural elements, which accentuated the marks of centuries on the existing materials. What rendered this experience uniquely unprecedented was the distinctive atmosphere of the site. Notably, several factors contributed significantly to this uniqueness: the redesigned circulation paths guided visitors into groups that followed a coherent narrative while still allowing freedom to explore, the number of international tourists that far surpassed that of domestic visitors, and, most importantly, the lighting design was exceptional.

The restoration of the Basilica Cistern was led by Doğu Kaptan from Atelye 70 Design and Planning, with lighting design by Adriano Caputo of Studio Illumina. Hera Yapı managed the contracting, and Tepta Lighting supplied the products. The restoration process included two key demonstrations. The first assessed lighting products for their effectiveness in illuminating the cistern’s columns and walkway. The second demo finalized the choice of products based on their ability to change color and highlight architectural features, inspired by the color-changing zultanite stone. The project aimed to evoke the experience of exploring a timeless, mysterious space. The entrance was designed to resemble a two-dimensional world with gradual lighting, while the rear section used three-dimensional lighting to reveal the cistern’s architectural features, blending Eastern and Western influences and enriching visitors’ emotional and perceptual experiences.

As someone who was captivated by the Basilica Cistern in my youth, revisiting it was not merely a matter of experiencing it again but of enriching or even reimagining certain aspects of my previous memories in a new context. Caputo’s experience design and the whole renovation delivers on his promise, as the space evokes the feel of a different era while remaining fully comprehensible to the modern mind. The integration of contemporary technological advancements and the meticulous planning of the design provoke a sense of disorientation regarding one's presence at that moment. Additionally, the changing colors of the lighting across different periods, combined with carefully designed sound effects, further enhances it. In the end, this purposeful uncertainty adds to a highly euphoric experience.

In addition to the architectural renovations, the emphasis on improving the overall ambiance through carefully designed circulation paths, attention to textures, and strategic lighting was crucial to the restoration's success. By "success", I refer to the extent to which the restoration effectively engages contemporary, local and international visitors, as well as the incorporation of striking features that facilitate an appreciation of the space's historical and architectural significance.