Forum Bornova was the first shopping and lifestyle centre developed by Multi Turkmall in Turkey. The centre reflects Aegean and Mediterranean architecture. It consists of two boulevards, two squares and four streets. There are wooden canopies, small ponds, bridges, a tower, a lot of mosaic, wooden pergolas, palm trees, fountains, roof gardens with restaurants and bars. Forum Bornova is situated on a site measuring 67,000 m2 close to Ege University. Leisure activities are organised all year round, attracting more than ten million visitors a year. Forum Bornova plays an important part in the social life of Izmir’s inhabitants. Wind speeds at the site of the shopping centre are high by Turkish standards.
The problem for the wind tunnel study was that the observations of the wind speeds and wind directions at the weather station twelve kilometres away differed substantially from the on-site observations because of the nearby hills and mountains. This discrepancy was taken into account in interpreting the results of the measurements. The study showed that a number of measures were needed to improve the wind climate. When the shopping centre was completed, the actual findings closely matched the conclusions of the wind tunnel study.