Construction work at the new Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), one of the landmarks of Istanbul's Taksim Square, continues diligently, on track to be completed in June. The building's foundation was laid on Feb. 10, 2019, and 78% of the construction is now complete.

The basic construction of AKM, which consists of five blocks, has been finished. The steel construction of the auditorium, the most striking part of the project with its spherical design, has been completed, clearly revealing its function as an opera hall.

The work on the opera stage is ongoing. While the opera tower, which was built using 15,000 special handmade red ceramics, is about to be completed, orders for wood veneers to be used in the building have been placed.

The new building will have an opera hall that can seat 2,500 people, a theater hall for 800 people, a conference room with a capacity of 1,000 people, a cinema room for 285 people, a theater for 250 people, an exhibition hall, a library and a parking lot for 885 cars. On the top floor of the new building, there will be a restaurant with a view extending from the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge to the Golden Horn.

The exterior of the new AKM building will double as a giant screen, allowing people in Taksim Square to watch live theater, ballet and opera performances.