New Mahalle – a more urban green inclusive neighborhood by Irene Ikonomopoulou

New Mahalle a more urban green inclusive neighborhood

Sustainable Urban Design School of Architecture, Lund University/LTH August 2015

Master Thesis Report Eirini Oikonomopoulou

Keywords: Istanbul Fener Balat Slum upgrading Historic Area UNESCO World Heritage Green public space Pedestrian and Bike Oriented Development Social Sustainability

All the graphic documents and written material in this volume unless otherwise quoted have been produced and edited by Eirini Oikonomopoulou. ÂŠ Eirini Oikonomopoulou, 2015 Printed in Lund, August 2015

New Mahalle a more urban green inclusive neighborhood

Master Thesis Report Sustainable Urban Design School of Architecture, Lund University/LTH September 2015 Author: Eirini Oikonomopoulou Supervisor: Johnny ร strand Examiner: Peter Siรถstrรถm 3

Abstract Acknowledgements Introduction Methodology 1. Theoretical Background Urbanization Megacities Informal settlement area (slum) The Islamic city 2. The city of Istanbul Turkey and Istanbul City in History Population and Economy Today and Tomorrow 3. The focus neighborhood: Fener and Balat Fatih: the historic district Fener and Balat 4

p. 7 p. 9 p. 11 p. 13 p. 15 p. 16 p. 18 p. 20 p. 24 p. 31 p. 32 p. 36 p. 46 p. 48 p. 53 p. 54 p. 58

Contents UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Districts Programme Design area 4. Design toolbox Design principles City/ district level Focus Area Reparation and climate strategies 5. Project proposal Masterplan – Neighborhood level 1st Zoom in – The New Core 2nd Zome in – Square and new block 2nd Zome in – The New Street Character

6. Conclusion Qualities for a livable district Bibliography

p. 66 p. 71 p. 72 p. 79 p. 81 p. 82 p. 101 p. 105 p. 109 p. 111 p. 114 p. 118 p. 120 p. 123 p. 124 p. 126 5

Abstract Istanbul is located in a special geographic place, just in the meeting of Europe and Asia and it has a long and great history, facts that had affected the urban form of the city. Trough the time different civilizations inhabited the city and they changed it by giving different character to its parts. The modernization of Istanbul brought western ideas into the historic organic urban fabric and put as first priority the need for a clear and strong car-road/highway network in order to improve the car accessibility along the city. Following that model, transformation of public spaces was based on the driving experience. New public spaces ware formulated to be the new symbol of Turkish Republic, to give a beautiful and clean image of the modern Turkish city, as well as work as landmarks across the highway network. Even if city is upgraded, bad quality neighborhoods still exist, far and near to the historic city center. One of them is Fener/Balat, which is located in Fatih district on the European side of Istanbul. This project aims to analyze the urban qualities of that neighborhood (mahalle) and propose a better, qualitative urban space towards a denser, greener and more inclusive neighborhood which could be an example for the whole city. 7

Acknowledgements

I would greatly thank Johnny Astrand, director of the Housing Development and Management division in the School of Architecture of Lund, for supervising and advising me on my thesis project and report. I want to mention all the teaching staff, lecturers, jury members, studio mates for the enjoyable and constructive time in SUDes. Last but not least, my friends for supporting me all this time. Thank you all! 9

Eminönü, İstanbul, 2014.

Introduction

Nowadays, almost half of worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population lives in urban areas and these amount is constantly growing. Urbanization has reached high levels and, especially in developing countries, cities with population greater than 10 million have become extremely common. Megacities, as they are called, are located everywhere and are growing fast. Tokyo (19.8 million), New York (15.9 million), Shanghai (11.4 million) to name but a few. (Morano E, 2003) Especially in developing countries, urbanization has reached extreme levels and these led to a huge social inequality within cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighborhoods. Urban space is formed by several factors and the most important is the action of human and social groups. When poor population comes to survive in the urbanized world, they have to face a variety of problems conserving different aspect of living, for example access to qualitative housing and public spaces. Uncontrolled urban environments are appearing in big cities to cover the extreme demand of housing and they are constantly expanding. Such environments are called slums. (UN-HABITAT, 2003) Istanbul has 14.4 million people living in its metropolitan area and it is the biggest city of Turkey and one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the world. After its 11

recent fast growth, as in other megacities in the world, Istanbul faces density and urbanization problems. From my first visit there, I understod the huge inequality between the quality of constructions and urban spaces in different neighborhoods. Except from new informal settlement areas, which are called gecekondu (in turkish means built overnight), there are also informal settlement neighborhoods within the historical areas. The mixture of build environments from different periods is very interesting and challenging for architects and urban planners. Especially when it comes to bad quality historic neighborhoods, difficulties and challenges are much more. Questions like “How urban renewal is performed in such places?”, “How much can architects change the existing in order to provide more qualitative urban environment?”, “How do we combine old and new build environment to create an interesting and attractive result?” and “Is it possible to upgrade an informal settlement area in a historical neighborhood and at the same time highlight its historical character?” were my major interest during my studies both in architecture and urban design. Trying to answer these questions and propose possible strategies for a city which interests me a lot, are the main reasons which led me to propose in my thesis an urban upgrade of Fener and Balat area in Istanbul. 12

Methodology

Thesis work started with a literature research about urbanization today and living conditions in megacities. It is important to understand the criteria by which we consider an area as informal settlement area and what are its characteristics. Also, Istanbul except from a megacity has a strong Islamic character. Principles of an Islamic city are different both on the design of public spaces and on the form of private constructions. As I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work before with such a city, I researched on the principles of the Islamic city in order to understand how the urban fabric works and what could be a successful proposal. Second part was a research about the city itself, its history, urban expansion, public transportation and situation today. All these information are needed in order to understand the city and the neighborhood and prepare my site visit. During my one week visit I experienced the existing situation in the focus area, the special culture and history and I talked with people living there in order to understand populationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s composition. Finally, after gathering all necessary information, it came the design, which combines strategy and proposal in various scales from city level till public spaces level. 13

Barbaros Blv, Şişli, İstanbul, 2014.

1. Theoretical Background

From industrial revolution till today, developing world has been trying to enforce its economy by enlarging industrial and services sectors. Obviously, the majority of these economic activities are taking place in cities. Employment opportunities are constantly increasing in urban areas, causing people move from rural to urban areas in an extreme rate. So fast urban areas are extending from district cities to metropolitan areas in less than a decade. (UN-HABITAT, 2007) For example in Ethiopia and Chad urbanized population is almost 99,4% of countries population. (Davis M., 2007) These rapid “domestic” migration is happening because of economic and business reasons. People in developing countries in order to have sufficient income, are forced to search for better job opportunities in big cities, where the majority of economic and developing activities are taking place. Big industrial complexes are being built in order to find cheaper (than in developed world) workers. One more reason for urbanization is political situation and warfare which could cause whole population from an areas (or country) move in order to survive. (UN-HABITAT, 2007) Such an example could be today’s situation in Syria. Thousands of Syrians have moved away from their country in order to save their live and some of them have moved in Istanbul. 16

Urbanization

Urban and rural population of the world, 1950–2050. Source: World Urbanization Prospects, The 2014 Revision

Urbanization and megacities (interactive map). Source: http://www.economist.com/node/21642053

The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing cities.

Source: World Urbanization Prospects, The 2014 Revision

Percentage of urban population in 2014, selected countries.

As cities are considered economic wealthy centers, people moving to them are expecting better income and working conditions. As more people are moving there, more and more are seeking jobs. The need of work placements are growing in a rate that could not be covered by the rate economic activity are growing. As a result, instead of finding a better financial state immigrants are still trapped in poverty. Urbanization of population leads to urbanization of poverty and unemployment. In this case, urban poverty is expected to be between 45 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 50% by 2020. (Moreno E., 2003)

Source: World Urbanization Prospects, The 2014 Revision

Today, there are 28 megacities around the world. Tokyo is the most populated city in the world with a population around 38 million. It is followed by Delhi with 25 million, Shanghai with 23 million, Mexico City, Mumbai and Sao Paolo with 21 million 18

100 90 Distribution of urban population (%)

Today, more than half of worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population lives in a city, and one out of three people was born in an urban area. High urbanized regions, which are common in developing countries, have transformed to metropolitan areas and cities with population more than 10 million inhabitants. Megacities, as they are called, are located everywhere and are growing fast. Tokyo, New York and Shanghai to name but a few. (Morano E, 2003) At 19th century, even if there was not an official definition of what is a megacity, cities with more than 1 million population was considered as one of those. As situation worldwide changed, such a definition would have given us too many megacities today. Since 1970, United Nations have officially defined megacity as a city with more than 10 million population. On 1975 we had 5 megacities around the world: Tokyo (19.8 million), New York (15.9 million), Shanghai (11.4 million), Mexico City (11.2 million) and Sao Paolo (10 million). As we notice, three of them are in developing world. On 2000, there were 19 megacities and only four of them in the developed world (Tokyo, New York, Las Angeles and Osaka). (Morano E, 2003)

Megacities

80 70 60 50

Meg

Larg

Med

Citie

10 0

Urba Europe

Africa

Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Oceania

North America

Population distribution across major areas in 2014.

Source: World Urbanization Prospects, The 2014 Revision

Megacities around the world (2014).

Source: http://buddhajeans.com/2014/05/14/infographic-megacities-a-challenge-for-sustainable-development/

Megacities (more than 10 million) Large cities (5 to 10 million) Medium-sized cities (1 to 5 million) Cities (500 000 to 1 million) Urban areas (less than 500 000)

rica

6000

Population (millions)

5000

41 cities 63 cities

4000 28 cities 43 cities

3000 2000

417 cities 10 cities 21 cities 239 cities 294 cities

558 cities 731 cities

Megacities (more than 10 million) Large cities (5 to 10 million)

525 cities

Medium-sized cities (1 to 5 million)

1000 0

inhabitants each. By 2030, it is expected to have 41 megacities with Tokyo still the biggest with 37 million followed by Delhi with 36 million. It is also interesting to say that except from the number of megacities which almost tripled in 24 years, similar growing pattern follow urban areas in various levels. Most megacities today are located in the developing world. More than one third of them are in Asia, six of them in China and four in India and it is expected to have seven more megacities by 2030. (United Nations, 2014) Cities (500 000 to 1 million)

Urban areas (less than 500 000)

1990

2014

The growth of cities of all sizes.

2030

Source: World Urbanization Prospects, The 2014 Revision

Informal settlement area (slum)

Apart from the need of workplaces, there is also a huge demand for cheap housing, but city’s development speed is lower than the demand, so municipalities cannot offer enough housing options. As the demand for cheap housing raises, informal residential areas emerge as an immediate and cheap solution, because people do not have to pay for the land (usually, they illegally occupy government’s or municipality’s land) and they constructed (or renovated) their houses as cheaply as they can. (UN-HABITAT, 2003) The word slum (which is the most used term for informal settlement area) appeared by the end of 18th century in everyday language in Great Britain. The term was used to describe the informal activities (informal trade, blackmailing, etc.) which low income social groups was doing. First definition appeared on 1812 in James Hardy’s book “Vocabulary of the Flash Language”. During the Victorian Era, as a result of industrialization, a great population came in big cities, and then the definition of the word slums started characterizing location. It was meaning places or areas where informal activities was happening. In these areas there were living low income social groups which came from countryside to work in the industrial companies. A wellknown case of slum in Victorian London was characterized by bad living condition 20

Definition and history

and lack of cleanliness and sanitation, necessary factors for living in an city. That was the main reason that cholera spread out quickly. (Davis M., 2007) By the middle of 19th century, the term appeared in text and defined in dictionaries. “Oxford English Dictionary” defined slum as “A squalid and overcrowded urban street or district inhabited by very poor people”. At the same period slum areas found in French, USA and India. As a result phenomenon recognized worldwide and started researching common characteristics the world round. Among these characteristics are obviously informal activities (which was the first meaning of the term slum) as well as the low construction quality of houses, the poor living conditions of population and inadequate sanitation which helped illnesses to spread. In the 20th century this term was considered as old-fashioned and was replaced by definite ones like tenement house, tenement district and deteriorated neighborhood. (Morano E, 2003) As the case was spreading in big cities worldwide, the number of population living in slums was raising, so areas extended and created mega slums. Mega slums are extensive districts, especially in suburbs, which were illegally occupied by low income social groups and were built by self-constructed housing blocks. Houses were mainly built by materials found in or around the area. In some cases constructions were made very fast, in one night, like for example gecekondu areas in Istanbul. (Morano E, 2003) Until the begging of 21st century there was no official definition of the term slum, so in each country there were different definitions and translations of the term, like favela or barrio in Latin America, gecekondu in Turkey, vijiji in Kenya. In 2002 UN-HABITAT held in Nairobi, Kenya, a worldwide conference where an official definition of the term slum was defined. According to this “an area is considered as slum if it has at least one of the following characteristics: a) Poor accessibility to clear water. b) Poor accessibility in sanitation facilities (private or public). 21

c) Poor construction quality of houses. d) It is highly dense area. e) It is unsafe area. Illegal activities are held and inhabitants have no guarantee for their stay there.â&#x20AC;? (UN-HABITAT, 2003) One can understand from the definition that areas defined as slums lack a variety of necessary facilities which are basic for everyone in developed world. In order to better understand slums, we categorize them according to their location in the city, their size and their security of tenure. (UN-HABITAT, 2003) The location of slums in the city is related with how the city expands and it is an indicator of their age. Old slum areas are closer to the city center and newer ones in the periphery. In relatively young cities, which expand fast, old slum areas could be located in the suburbs. An other case is scattered slum areas which usually are areas supposed to be public parks or squares and they are isolated from their surroundings by physical barriers, for example canals, railways and highways. (Davis M., 2007) The size of a slum area is related with the size of the city in which slum is located and the ability of inhabitants to self-organize in order to achieve better living conditions. Big slums like Kibera in Nairobi, Dharavi in Mumbai or Orangi in Karachi have thousands of inhabitants and are economically organized. The most common type of slums are middle-sized and small ones. They are surrounded by housing or industrial areas and because of their relatively limited size they cannot have their own public services so they are facilitated by near neighborhoods. (UN-HABITAT, 2003) Security of tenure is the most important factor which contribute to the sustainable development of a slum area. Illegal slums are the ones which are located in trampled areas and their inhabitants donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how long they could be allowed to stay. In some cases, inhabitants organized into a community in order to avoid the possibility to 22

Yahya Kahya Mahalle, BeyoÄ&#x;lu, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

forcely be moved away from the area, secure their tenure and ask for public facilities. When inhabitants have land tenure but constructions are not according to building regulations, they cannot have access to water and sanitation networks. (UN-HABITAT, 2003) 23

The Islamic city

Trying to define what is a livable qualitative urban space for a contemporary city like Istanbul, the Islamic character of Istanbul should be considered as well. So, I researched the principles of the traditional Islamic city, tried to identify them into the existing form of urban space and city fabric and attempt to answer on how public space could be changed to become more livable but still acceptable by resident’s mentality.

The basic neighborhood building guidelines in the traditional Islamic city are determined by principles and guidelines started by the time the Prophet Mohammed settled in Medina. Core in urban design is the house and the access to it as it described socially and physically by the essence and spirit of Islam and their development and evolution of Islamic law through the time as the religion spread. Very important is the influence of scholars. Some of them created schools of law and they strongly influence lifestyle and design guidelines. The four major sources of law according to al-Shafi’I (one of the big schools) are the Qur’an, the Sunna (inspired behavior of the Prophet Mohammed), the Ijma’ (consensus of the Muslim community) and Qiyas or Ijtihad (the human reason in elaboration of the law). (Hakim B. S., 1988) 24

Traditional Islamic city

Hakim (1988) in his book Arabic-Islamic Cities, Building and Planning Principles analyses Tunis as case study in order to identify the principles and behavioral guidelines in urban design and he uses Maliki School as the basic law at that location. The decision-making process of physical formation of the city is based on the interaction of rulers (people with governmental and/or religious power) and citizens although they act in different scales. Rulers decide on the macro scale of the city and they create a first scale urban fabric of governance, religious and economic centers (or buildings) and major infrastructure. On the other hand, citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decision are on the micro scale of a neighborhood. They create a second scale urban fabric of private houses, streets and open spaces. Although rulers influence the urban fabric by creating a planned structure, citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; influence is spread in greater area and affect everyday life of most people. (Hakim B.S., 1988) The guidelines followed by rulers (like for example the local Kadis in Tunis) and citizens in the traditional Islamic city are the behavioral guidelines stated in Islamic law. Harm is the basic guideline, everyone should exercise their right without harming others. Second important policy which regulates Islamic behavior is privacy. In physical terms it has to do with the private domain of the house. In this case visual corridors into private areas should be avoided to secure personal privacy. Other behavioral principles are interdependence, right of original usage, respect of othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; property, pre-emption and right of access to water. (Hakim B.S., 1988) 25

Determined from the interior Determined from the exterior 1.60 m average eye level

1.75 m minimum height

0.8 to 1.25 height of object you can stand on

Height of the windows to secure privacy. Source: Hakim B.S., 1988

There are also guidelines which determine practically space. Such guidelines allow houses to expand vertically and inhabitants to use the exterior Fina (semi-public space along the street) next to their house and define the minimum street width. Finally, cleanliness and sense of responsibility for the public space are additional self-regulating behavioral values in the traditional Islamic city. (Hakim B.S., 1988) On the city level, Islamic city is defined mainly by rulers or designers and the principles they are following. Mosque is the core of the Islamic city, the same importance as it has in the society. It is the main public space in the city, where people meet, socialize and interact. It combines religious services, open green space, educational services (Madrassa) and governing facilities. Next to it there is usually a bazaar (indoor street market) or a weekly street market (for smaller mosques). (Abu-Lughod J. L., 1987) It is obvious that the mosque is a physical center for the city and the neighborhood and at the same time a spiritual center. 26

Elements on the city level

In proximity with the mosque there are located residential neighborhoods, areas where families and community members live together. Residents of each neighborhood have similar religious, ethical or socio-economical characteristics. (Abu-Lughod J. L., 1987) Social, cultural and political structure is different between Islamic and nonIslamic cities. Cities which adopted Islam later on (for example cities in the Byzantine Empire) usually follow the previous urban structure with limited changes in religious centers and social structure. The implemented principles from Islam was aiming to serve personal privacy. On earlier times, separation served to prevent eye contact and integration between males and females. Later, only private areas such as gardens and yards hve protection from unwanted visual contact. (Karimian H.)

Components of Islamic Neighborhood (Mahalle)

A neighborhood in the Islamic city is cluster of houses usually organized according to religion, ethnicity or language. It is quite autonomous as it has its own mosque which is religious, governmental and economical center. Multiculturalism in the whole Islamic city is represented as combination of different social groups in each neighborhood. Social structure is defined by peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relation and interaction within the neighborhood and it is the main factor shaping urban form of neighborhood. (Karimian H.) Mixture of social groups in the same neighborhood exists in the cotemporary Islamic city and especially in the international western influenced ones, like Istanbul. (Saoud R., 2002) The mosque as the spiritual center of the neighborhood is the most important building. Based on the importance and the size of the mosque, it has outdoors spaces like courtyards or park which work as meeting and outdoors pray (if it is needed during holidays). Except from being the religious center, mosque is combined with educational center, mainly for religious teaching. Also, in the same building or in one in proximity there is a turkish bath (hamam). All these buildings are called mosque complex. (Behar C., 2003) The financial and market activity of the neighborhood is served by small local shops, but the major needs of residents are covered by market streets or indoor market next 27

to the mosque. In some cases when the mosque and the neighborhood are not so important, the market is a street market in a weekly basis in order to cover residents basic needs, but in other cases the market is so famous of its size or its focus on specific products that it attracts costumers from other neighborhoods. Market also contributes to the autonomous and sustainable character of the neighborhood as residents don’t have to commute to sell their products or buy what they need. (Behar C., 2003) Roads and streets are connecting neighborhood with the close ones and having as a goal to serve mobility between houses and center of the neighborhood. Street network inside the neighborhood is a combination of main, usually busy roads and narrower streets. Both are used as public life spaces. (Behar C., 2003) According to Hakim (1988) street network and its related elements are planned in order to offer privacy to the inhabitants. For that reason we can find wide main roads with financial activities, medium streets between house and dead end streets (cul-de-sac). The minimum street width in the traditional Islamic city is determined in order to allow mobility without any problem (minimum 3,5m to allow two fully loaded camels to pass). Dead end streets are usually narrower and have a semi-public character as they are used to lead to houses’ entrances. An important element of street network is “Fina”. Outdoor fina is the space attached to the house along the streets and dead ends and it is used by house’s residents as a semi-public space for meeting, outdoor activities and parking purpose. (Hakim B. S., 1988) Houses are the actual private space for each family and it has a garden or yard for outdoor activities (inner fina for more semi-private use). Houses are usually inner oriented in order to give residents the necessary privacy. Windows and doors on the street side are located so there is no direct visual contact between the residents and people passing by the street. On the second level, room goes outside the building frame usually oven the fina, in order to offer more inner space and rain protection and shadow in fina. (Hakim B. S., 1988) 28

Minimum street width 3.20-3.50 m.

Minimum street height 3.50 m. Minimum street width 1.80 - 3.50 m. Minimum street width.

Minimum street height.

Source: Hakim B.S., 1988

Utilize the air space over “fina” on both sides. Street

Projection allowed within “fina” over the minimum street height.

Exterior “fina”

Courtyard/ interior “fina”

“Fina”

“Fina” as a street element. Source: Hakim B.S., 1988

“Fina” concept.

Source: Hakim B.S., 1988

“Fina concept extends ventically.

Build over the “fina”.

Source: Hakim B.S., 1988

Million Stone (Milion), İstanbul, 2014.

2. The city of Istanbul

Turkey and Istanbul Turkey is a transcontinental country, between Europe and Asia, with an important geostrategic location. It works as a strategic location between Asia, Africa and Europe and through the time, was the crossroad of civilizations and cultures. It has Mediterranean Sea on its south, Aegean Sea on its west and Black Sea on its north. Bosporus, Sea of Marmara and Dardanelles are all together formulate the Turkish Straits, which connects Aegean Sea with Black Sea and demarcates the boundary between Europe and Asia. Turkey is a republic since 1923 (29/10). Its area is 783.562 km2 and it has 76.667.864 population on 2013 (projection: 77.323892 inhabitants on 2015). The official DPD on 2012 was 1.4 trillion TRL. (Turkish Statistical Institution) It plays an important role in the areas because it is the connection between Europe and Asia as well as Africa (and Muslims countries). Istanbul is the main air hub (base of Turkish airlines) and train and bus connections. Since 2014 underwater train connection operates and it makes easier the train connections between Europe and Asia. 32

GEORGIA

BULGARIA

Istanbul ARMENIA

Ankara

IRAN GREECE

IRAQ SYRIA

CYPRUS

Europe and Turkey.

LEBANON

GEORGIA

BULGARIA

Tbilisi

Istanbul

ARMENIA

Ankara

Yerevan

IRAN GREECE

CYPRUS

IRAQ SYRIA

Lefkosia

Air connections with Europe and Turkey.

LEBANON

GEORGIA

BULGARIA

Istanbul ARMENIA

Ankara

TURKEY IRAN GREECE

CYPRUS

Land connections with Europe and Turkey.

IRAQ SYRIA LEBANON

Çatalca

Arnavutköy Eyüp

Silivri

Sarıyer Beykoz

Başakşehir

Büyükçekmece

Sultangazi

Ayazağa

Şile

Gaziom Kağıthane Esenler Beşiktaş anpaşa Avcılar Bayram Şişli Küçükçe Esenyurt kmese Bağcilar paşa Güngören Üsküdar Ümraniye Fatih Bahçelievler Zeytinburnu Ataşehir Bakırköy Bakırköy Kadıköy

Çekmeköy

Sancaktepe

Sultanbeyli

Maltepe Kartal

Tuzla Pendik

Prince’s Islands (Adalar)

Turkey’s capital city is Ankara and other big cities are Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Adana. Istanbul is the most populated city of Turkey and on the country level, Istanbul is the main air hub for domestic travels and the second main train hub. It consists of two parts, the European and the Asian part divided by Bosporus Sea. One third of its population lives in the Asian part. Through the times, Istanbul (Constantinople as known before 19th century) was capital city of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. Since 2004, province and city of Istanbul have the same boundaries. The city of Istanbul covers an area of 5.461 km2, it had 14.107.954 inhabitants on 2013 (it is expected to reach 15 million inhabitants by 2015) and an average density of 2.725 people/km2. (Turkish Statistical Institution) For administration purposes, province is divided in 39 districts and each of them in neighborhoods (mahalle). 34

Districts of İstanbul.

Black Sea

Marmara Sea

Strait of Bosporus

Geographic location of İstanbul. Base source: google maps

City in History

According to the tradition, Byzantium (the first name of the city of Istanbul) was a small, but important town at the Bosporus. It was founded by Byzas, king of Megara (a city-state near Athens) in 658 BC when he sailed northeast across the Aegean Sea. In Greek times, the town was at the frontier between the Greek and the Persian world. In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great made both worlds part of his Hellenistic universe. (Mpouras, 1975)

Ancient Byzantium

Because of its strategic location, Roman Empire conquered the city in 75 AD. After a huge destruction in 196 AD, Lucius Septimius rebuilt the city as a Roman one and he built the first city wall in 203 AD. By the 3rd century AD, Byzantium was an important town within the Roman Empire. But at the same time, there was growing border pressure especially in the Balkan/Danube and invasions, civil strife and economic disorder in the Roman Empire. All these contribute to the splitting of Empire into the Western and Eastern Roman Empire in 285 AD. In 286 AD Roman Empire divided by Emperor Diocletia. Byzantium named capital of East Roman Empire. (Mpouras, 1975)

Roman Period

The emperor Constantine the Great was one of the first to realize the impossibility of managing Empireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems from distant Rome and in 330 AD he decided to make

Byzantine period

Urban footprint before 15th century.

Time line Name: Byzantium

Name: New Rome

Name: Constantinople

395 AD

After Theodosius I the Great died Roman Empire officially divided into two.

400’s AD

507 AD

Theodosian Walls First Galata Tower built as city expands built although they West. didn't occupy much across the Golden Horn.

507 AD

First Galata Tower built although they didn't occupy much across the Golden Horn.

330 BC

550 AD

1000’s AD

Emperor Justinian 1st Chora Church built. rebuilded the Church of the Holy Apostles as the center of the Orthodox religion (in 1461 it was demolished by the Ottomans to make way for the Fatih Mosque).

1204 AD

Emperor Constantine officially moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it to “New Rome”.

Conquered by Cath lic Knights of the 4t Crusade. Latin Emp is formed and Constantinople wa its capital.

Strategion

Mes

Acropolis Theater

Mese

St Eirini Basilica Cistern Philoxenos Cistern Palace Hip po

Byzantium, 658 BC - 46 BC.

Peristyle

Gre

Peristyle

St. Sophia Augustaion

dr om

Forum of Arcadius

Palace

Forum of Constantine

lace

Forum of Ox

Aqueduct of Valens built to help bring water into town.

368 AD

dr om

Romans conquered the city and built it up as a roman one.

Renamed “Constantinople” after Emperor Constantine’s death.

lace

196 AD

337 AD

Founded by King Byzas as a colony of greek city of Megara.

Roman Empire divided by Emperor Diocletia. Byzantium named capital of East Roman Empire.

Hip po

660 BC

286 AD

First wall built by Emperor Severus.

Gre

203 AD

Byzantium, 46BC - 330AD. 37

Byzantium capital of the Roman Empire and renamed it as New Rome. It is located closer to the Balkan and the Euphrates and he could control effectively borders. After Emperor Constantineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death in 337 AD the city renamed Constantinople. After the official splitting of Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire became the name for the east part. (Norwich, 1999) By the 4th century, romans became Christian, and the Byzantine Empire was a Christian state. It was the first empire in the world to be founded not only on worldly power, but also on the authority of the Church. Paganism, however, stayed an important source of inspiration for many people during the first centuries of the Byzantine Empire. (Norwich, 1999) As the city was developing and expanding through the time in the Byzantine period, great constructions were taking place. At 368 AD the aqueduct of Valens were built to bring water in the city. As the city expanded to the west during the times of Theodosius I the Great, a new city wall finished by the beginning of 5th century. During the 6th century, the city started expanding on the other side of Golden Horn and the first Galata Tower is built. Although there is only a temporary bridge connecting the two sides close to Theodosian Walls. At that period, a lot of important churches like Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Apostles were built as Constantinople was the center of the Orthodox religion. (Mango, 1988) 38

Urban footprint before 15th century.

Time line Name: New Rome

Name: Istanbul (unofficial)

Name: Constantinople

an Empire divided mperor Diocletia. ntium named al of East Roman re.

Renamed “Constantinople” after Emperor Constantine’s death.

368 AD

Aqueduct of Valens built to help bring water into town.

395 AD

After Theodosius I the Great died Roman Empire officially divided into two.

400’s AD

507 AD

Theodosian Walls First Galata Tower built as city expands built although they West. didn't occupy much across the Golden Horn.

507 AD

550 AD

First Galata Tower built although they didn't occupy much across the Golden Horn.

1000’s AD

1478 AD

330 BC

1204 AD

Emperor Constantine officially moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it to “New Rome”.

Topkapi Palace and Harem built over form Greek Acropoli.

Conquered by Catholic Knights of the 4th Crusade. Latin Empire is formed and Constantinople was its capital.

1261 AD

Byzantines re-took Constantinople from the Catholics and transformed Empire of Nicaea into a restored Byzantine Empire.

1453 AD

Sultan Faith Mehmet II conquered Constantinople. Various transformation happend to the city including churches turned into mosques, roman baths into hammams etc.

Cistern of Aetius Cistern of Aspar

Strategion

Mes

Mes Mese

St Eirini

St Eirini Basilica Cistern

Hip

po dr om

Philoxenos Cistern Palace

Forum of Arcadius

Forum of Constantine

Mese

St. Sophia

Forum of Theodosius

Forum of Ox

lace

Cistern of Mocius

Peristyle

Gre

the sa

337 AD

Constantinople, 330AD - 1453AD.

Constantinople, major churches (before 1453 AD). 39

After the 7th century, Byzantine Empire started declining. Enemy attacks to the city hade as result a big scale maintenance of Theodosian Walls. The iconoclast movement caused serious religious conflicts and political unrest throughout the Empire. At 1204 AD, Catholic Knights of the 4th Crusade conquered the city and they named it capital of the Latin Empire. At 1261 AD Byzantines re-took Constantinople from the Catholics and transformed Empire of Nicaea into a restored Byzantine Empire. But Empire at that time had lost its previous strength, domination and many of its key economic resources, and struggled to survive. (Mango, 1988) On Tuesday 19th May 1453 Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire after a seven-week siege. Right after the conquer Ottomans started changing the city and transformed it into an Islamic one. During the first years, the city was named informally Istanbul, hundreds of churches turned into mosques and roman baths into hammams. Among the other changes, Topokapi Palace and Harem built over the former Greek Acropolis and Hagia Sophia church turned into mosque, so a governance and religious core in the city established. At 1616 Sultan Ahmet builds Blue Mosque over Byzantine Grand Palace. (Mango, 1988) By the beginning of 19th century the city had expanded dramatically and there were major changes on street network and transportation system. The first bridge of Galata was built at the same location as today and it made commuting between two sides 40

Ottoman period

Urban footprint on 19th century.

Time line

Name: Istanbul (unofficial)

1000’s AD

1261 AD

Byzantines re-took Constantinople from the Catholics and transformed Empire of Nicaea into a restored Byzantine Empire.

1478 AD

1517 AD

Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia church Harem built over former turned into a Mosque. Greek Acropoli.

1616 AD

1869 AD

1930 AD

Sultan Ahmet builds First horse driven tram Tünel Funicular opened, Blue Mosque over started. one of the oldest Byzantine Grand Palace. underground urban rail line.

1453 AD

1936 AD

Hagia Sophia a place of wor turned into a m

1922 AD

Sultan Faith Mehmet II conquered Constantinople. Various transformation happend to the city including churches turned into mosques, roman baths into hammams etc.

Turkish Republic formed with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as first President.

Cistern of Aetius Cistern of Aspar

Fatih Mosque

Süleymaniye Mosque Aq

Egyptian Bazaar

Süleymaniye Mosque

Yeni Mosque

Mes e

Topkapi Palace

Cistern of Mocius

Beyazit Mosque

Beyazit Grand Mosque Bazaar

St Eirini Basilica Cistern

Mese

Yeni Mosque

Şehzade Mosque

Mes

Şehzade Mosque

Philoxenos Cistern Palace

dr om e

Conquered by Catholic Knights of the 4th Crusade. Latin Empire is formed and Constantinople was its capital.

Topkapi Palace and Harem built over former Greek Acropoli.

1204 AD

1478 AD

Hip

nian 1st Chora Church built. Church of tles as the Orthodox 61 it was y the make way osque).

Name: Istanbul

Mese

St. Sophia (Mosque)

St Eirini St. Sophia (Mosque)

Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Istanbul, 1453AD - 1908AD.

Istanbul, major mosques (1453AD - 1908AD). 41

easier. By the end of the century first horse-driven tram is implemented and Tünel Funicular opened which is actually one of the oldest underground urban lines. After World War I the Turkish National Movement started raising under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In April 1920 an Ankara-based Turkish regime declared itself as government of the country and started to formalize the legal transition from Ottoman Empire into a republic political system. On 1st November 1922, after 623 years of Ottoman monarchical rule, Republic of Turkey formed with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as first President. The Treaty of Lausanne of 24 July 1923 led to the international recognition of the sovereignty of the newly formed Republic of Turkey as the continuing state of the Ottoman Empire, and the republic was officially proclaimed on 29 October 1923 in Ankara, the country’s new capital. (Axiarlis, 2014) The Lausanne treaty stipulated a population exchange between Greece and Turkey, whereby 1,1 million Greeks left Turkey to move in Greece in exchange for 380,000 Muslims transferred from Greece to Turkey. (Clogg, 2002) Seven years after, Istanbul became the official name of the city. During the first years of the republic, major changes happened to the city in order to achieve a secular and modern urban character. On 1936 Hagia Sophia changed from a place of worship to a museum and it is remaining like this till today. As the city was 42

Republic of Turkey

Urban footprint on 1950.

Urban footprint on 1970.

Time line Name: Istanbul

869 AD

nel Funicular opened, e of the oldest derground urban rail e.

1922 AD

1930 AD

1936 AD

Hagia Sophia closed as a place of worship and turned into a museum.

1973 AD

First Bosporus bridge was built and connected euripean and asian side of the city.

1988 AD

Second Bosporus bridge (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) was built and the city continued expanding to the north.

1990 AD

Population of Istanbul quadrupled wthin 20 years, from 2,7 million in 1980 to 11,8 million and become of worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s megacities.

1990-1992 AD

Modern tramlines started operating in European side. Some historical tramlines opened again. First metro line started operating.

2003 AD

Historical tramline stared operating in Asian side.

2005 AD

Introduction of New Turkish Lira (YTL).

2007 AD

Modern tramline T4 opened and connected north suburbs with center.

Turkish Republic formed with Mustafa Kemal AtatĂźrk as first President.

Taksim Square

Public transportation, 1970. 43

Urban footprint on 1990.

TODAY

With a population over 14 million people, it is the biggest city in Turkey.

1990-1992 AD

bul 20 on on ldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Modern tramlines started operating in European side. Some historical tramlines opened again. First metro line started operating.

2003 AD

Historical tramline stared operating in Asian side.

2005 AD

Introduction of New Turkish Lira (YTL).

2007 AD

Modern tramline T4 opened and connected north suburbs with center.

2010 AD

Istan bul was European Capitals of Culture for the year 2010 with a variety of cultural activities.

2012-2013 AD

Two more metro lines in both European and Asian side started operating. Underwater train connection run through Marmara tunnel.

expanding to the Asian side, there was the need for a bridge to connect effectively both sides. First Bosporus bridge constructed on 1973 and the Second (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) on 1988 enabling the city to expand to the north. As the city was changing, new means of transportation were implementing in the city life. On 1990 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1992 a modern tramline started operating in European side and the first metro line started operating. At the same time some old tramlines (nostalgic tramlines as they called today) revived for memory reason. Ten years later historical tramlines stated in the Asian side. By the beginning of 21st century a modern tramline (T4) opened to connect north suburbs with the city center and two more metro lines in both European and Asian side. On 2013 an underwater train connection started operating through Marmara tunnel and made transportation between two sides faster and more effective. 44

End 2015 AD

Third Bosporus bridge (Yavuz Sultan Selim) under constructions. It is expected to open by the end of 2015. The city will continue expanding towards the nord to the Black Sea.

2015-2017 AD

Three metro lines under constuction and one is being planned to make transportations more effective in both sides.

2030 AD

Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population expected to raise up to 18,5 million people.

Marmara ferry, İstanbul, 2014.

Population and Economy

Population of Istanbul quadrupled wthin 20 years, from 2,7 million in 1970 to 11,8 million on 1990 and became one of world’s megacities. Today population is almost 14,5 million people (31 December 2014) which is 18,5% of the total population of Turkey. It is expected to reach 18,5 million people on 2030 as it has 1,5 % annual population growth rate. It is also the densest city of Turkey as its density reaches 2.767 person/km2 (27 times Turkey’s density, which is 101 person per km2). Out of its population, around 5 million (35 %) lives on the Asian side (Anatolia) and around 9 million (65 %) on the European side (Thrace). (Great Istanbul) Because of its size and economic growth, it is a huge attraction of immigrants, so 84,2 % are born outside of Istanbul (mostly in Sivas). City’s major ethnic groups (large portions of whom have been extensively turkicized since the Seljuk and Ottoman periods) include the Abkhazians, Adjarians, Albanians, Arabs, Assyrians, Bosniaks, Circassians, Hamshenis, Kurds, Laz, Pomaks, Roma, Zazas and the three officially recognized minorities (per the Treaty of Lausanne), the Armenians, Greeks and Jews. The Kurds, a distinct ethnic group, are the largest non-Turkic ethnicity, estimated at about 18% of the population. 46

İstiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu, İstanbul, 2014.

Istanbul during its whole history it had very important economic position and it is still the economic center of Turkey. On 2005 New Turkish Lira (YTL) is introduced. On 2013 municipality’s budget was 8 billion TL and GNP per capita was 3.063 USD. Even though the area is economically developing, considering the GNP per capita is holds the 7th place in Turkey. It is also an important trade hub for the country as it performs 57% of the national export, mainly textiles, and 60% of the national import trade (2005). (Great Istanbul) Istanbul was European Capital of Culture for the year 2010, a variety of activities held throughout the city and attracted a lot of tourists. 47

Today and Tomorrow As the city was growing, it has become one of the biggest and denser in the world, with various social and ecological groups. From socio-economic aspect, the city of Istanbul today combines upper, medium and lower income classes. Especially in the central - historic areas, all different socio-economic level are found, but the majority of population especially close to the touristic zone and the waterfront belongs to the upper class. If we compare European side with Asian one, in the first we found lower socio-economic neighborhoods in greater extend as in the Asian side. (DerviĹ&#x; P., Ă&#x2013;ner M., 2009) Some of these dense low income areas have even today low qualities in terms of housing and public spaces and few of them are considered as slums. Fener and Balat are such neighborhoods, characterized as centrally located, historical and low income. As the city expanded through the time and different civilization were building one after the other, the actual core of the city is very densely built. Green areas are limited in the central areas of Istanbul, they are usually across the waterfront and the main attractions. If we consider the metropolitan area of Istanbul, big forest and green areas are located in the North, but as the city continuously expands towards the new (3rd) bridge and Black Sea coastline, the forest and green areas are decreasing. 48

Built area Informal settlement Green Bridge (existing) Bridge (in discussion) Gated community

Taksim Square

Urban situation, today.

ge ectsian

Green vs urban areas, today.

Urban footprint, today.

Built area Informal settlement Green Bridge (existing) Bridge (in discussion) Gated community

Time line

20 km

TODAY

With a population over 14 million people, it is the biggest city in Turkey.

1988 AD

Second Bosporus bridge (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) was built and the city continued expanding to the north.

1990 AD

1990-1992 AD

Population of Istanbul quadrupled wthin 20 years, from 2,7 million in 1980 to 11,8 million and become of world’s megacities.

Modern tramlines started operating in European side. Some historical tramlines opened again. First metro line started operating.

2003 AD

2005 AD

Historical tramline stared operating in Asian side.

2007 AD

Introduction of New Turkish Lira (YTL).

Modern tramline T4 opened and connected north suburbs with center.

2010 AD

2012-2013 AD

Istan bul was European Capitals of Culture for the year 2010 with a variety of cultural activities.

End 2015 AD

Two more metro lines in both European and Asian side started operating. Underwater train connection run through Marmara tunnel.

Third Bosporus br (Yavuz Sultan Seli under constructio is expected to ope the end of 2015. T city will continue expanding toward nord to the Black

Fatih Mosque

Süleymaniye Mosque Şehzade Mosque

Aq u

Egyptian Bazaar

Yeni Mosque

Fatih Mosque

Topkapi Palace

Süleymaniye Mosque

Aq Şehzade Mosque

Egyptian Bazaar

Süleymaniye Mosque Aq

Yeni Mosque

Şehzade Mosque

Egyptian Bazaar

Beyazit Grand Mosque Bazaar

Yeni Mosque

Basilica Cistern Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace

Beyazit Grand Mosque Bazaar

St Eirini Basilica Cistern

St. Sophia (Mosque)

St Eirini Basilica Cistern

St. Sophia (Mosque)

Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Public transportation, today.

St Eirini

Train Tram Metro Ferry

Green area Informal settlement

Green an d slum areas, today.

Istanbul, today. 49

On transportation level, today Istanbul has an extensive bus network with local and express bus lines. Some of them are connecting both sides and the majority of them connect central location like Taksim, Yenikapi, Eminönu, Kabatas, Uskudar and Kadiköy, with suburbs. Additionally to the bus lines, Istanbul has one of the most efficiently performing tram way with 5 lines, 3 metro lines and 2 funiculars in locations where height difference is very big. Recently, an underwater rail tunnel opened which enabled rail transport between two sides. (Derviş P., Öner M., 2009) Finally, a very important and popular way of commuting in that city is by ferry. There are many ferry lines connecting European and Asian side and Prince Islands and during the summer one ferry line connecting various places across the Golden Horn. In the future, it is expected that urban fabric will reach the Black Sea coast till 2030 and population will be more than 18 million. A third bridge (Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge) is already being constructed and it is expected to finish by the end of 2015. By the next two years, three metro lines are going to be constructed and one is being planned to make transportations more effective in both sides. It is also planned to add an extra tram line to connect north suburbs. When all these public transportation lines are implemented, travels within the city will be much easier and faster as it is tried to connect suburbs without being necessary to pass from the city center. 50

Taksim Square

Public transportation, today.

003 AD

Urban footprint, expected on 2030.

Time line

TODAY

With a population over 14 million people, it is the biggest city in Turkey.

storical tramline ared operating in ian side.

2005 AD

Introduction of New Turkish Lira (YTL).

2007 AD

Modern tramline T4 opened and connected north suburbs with center.

2010 AD

Istan bul was European Capitals of Culture for the year 2010 with a variety of cultural activities.

2012-2013 AD

Two more metro lines in both European and Asian side started operating. Underwater train connection run through Marmara tunnel.

End 2015 AD

Third Bosporus bridge (Yavuz Sultan Selim) under constructions. It is expected to open by the end of 2015. The city will continue expanding towards the nord to the Black Sea.

2015-2017 AD

Three metro lines under constuction and one is being planned to make transportations more effective in both sides.

2030 AD

City’s population expected to raise up to 18,5 million people.

Fatih Mosque

Süleymaniye Mosque Şehzade Mosque

Aq u

Egyptian Bazaar

Yeni Mosque

uct

Topkapi Palace

Beyazit Grand Mosque Bazaar

St Eirini Basilica Cistern

St. Sophia (Mosque)

Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Urban area Train Tram Metro

Taksim Square

Public transportation, planned 2030.

Train Tram Metro Ferry Bike lane

Public transportation in Fatih, planned for 2030. 51

Fatih view from EyĂźp, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

3. The focus neighborhood: Fener and Balat

Fatih: the historic district Fatih is the historical peninsula of the city of Istanbul and a district and a municipality by itself since 2009. It covers an area of 13 km2 with a population of 428.857 people (2012). Its density reaches 33.000 people per km2 which makes it one of the denser districts. (Turkish Statistical Institution) Fatih’s borders are mainly defined by the topography as it has Golden Horn to the North and Sea of Marmara to the South. Theodosian wall is remarking the Western borders. It has a dramatic topography consisting of 7 hills (only in Fatih district). On each hill there are public and religious buildings, which gives them great view and creates that unique skyline. Fatih was the first core of the city and its history starts from ancient times. During the Byzantine period Fatih was the actual city of Constantinople with a lot of governmental and religious buildings spread all over the district. After the conquest of the city by Ottomans, Sultan Mehmed settled his palace and the governmental center of the empire in Fatih district, in the same place as the ancient Greek Acropolis was located. Its name “Fatih” means “conquer” in Turkish and it comes from the emperor Sultan Mehmed. During the first years of Ottoman period, major changes happened to the city in order to give it an Islamic character, so big churches are transformed into mosques. 54

Fatih district, İstanbul, 2014. Source: Google maps

Galata Tower

Topkapi Palace

From 18th century, the city started to expand outside the walls and at the same time Fatih started transforming into a dense residential district full of concrete apartment houses. This transformation accelerated by fires and earthquakes which destroyed big areas on the district. Today, few wooden buildings are remaining especially in very old former wealthy areas like Fener and Balat and around the former governmental buildings like in the area of Sultan Ahmed. Today, Fatih is a crowded working class district, as after 1960s large amounts of immigrants moved in. It has a unique character as it combines areas with strong cosmopolitan atmosphere, historic and touristic neighborhoods as well as extreme conservative communities. It also has a lot of theaters and libraries, old and new ones, and four university campuses (Haliรง University, Kadir Has University and two different Faculty of Medicine campuses of Istanbul University). 56

Hagia Sophia

Nurosmaniye Mosque

Suleymaniye Mosque

Panoramic view of Golden Horn, 2014.

70 m

67 m Fatih Mosque

61 m

62 m Süleymaniye Mosque Şehzade Mosque

Aq u

Egyptian Bazaar

Yeni Mosque

Topkapi Palace

60 m 37 m

Beyazit Grand Mosque Bazaar

St Eirini

47 m

Basilica Cistern

St. Sophia (Mosque)

Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Fatih topographical map (7 hills). 57

Fener, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

Fener and Balat Fener and Balat are two neighborhoods in Fatih district which are located by the Golden Horn. Their history starts already from the Byzantine period as they were wealthy and important areas of the city of Constantinople. Today, they are one of the poorest areas of Istanbul and populated by immigrants from Eastern Turkey or Syria. But the unique colorful atmosphere and the long history make them one of UNESCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cultural and Natural Heritage areas (as part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul), however less than 1% of tourists visits it. 58

Taksim Square Gezi Park

Ayvansaray

Balat Fener

Galata Tower

Fatih Mosque

Topkapi Beyazit Mosque Grand Bazaar

Focus area.

Base sorurce: google maps

Fener is a neighborhood by the Golden Horn close to the Theodosian wall which is known as the Greek neighborhood. Its streets are full of old wooden mansions and churches with picturesque facades from the Byzantine and Ottoman period. The name Fener is a Turkish transliteration of the Greek word φανάριον (fanarion) which means lighting lantern. It was called like this because of a column topped with a lantern which stood there in the Byzantine period as a public light and marine locator.

Fener

After the conquest of Constantinople, it was mostly populated by Greeks, especially important and wealthy families like Mavrokordatos family and Soutsos family, which were assistants to the Sultan and governors over provinces in European and Greek part of the empire. The Patriarchate of Constantinople moved also there and made it even more important. From that time, Fener has very important role in Christianity as the center of Christian Orthodoxy. All over the area, there are a lot of old Greek Orthodox churches, the Phanar Roman Orthodox Lyceum (former Greek Orthodox school and minority school today) and an Bulgarian church by the shore of Golden Horn. From the last period of the Ottoman Empire, Fener had already started losing parts of its wealthy population, as they moved to other district. Especially after the Istanbul pogrom (6-7 September 1955), the area declined and was left almost abandoned. After that, immigrants (conservative working class population) from inner Turkey, Anatolia, and Syria moved into the area and occupied the run down empty buildings. 60

Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Fener

Fener neighborhood.

Base sorurce: google maps

Balat is the neighborhood right next to Fener, by the Golden Horn, towards the Theodosian wall. Its name is a Turkish transliteration of the Greek word παλάτι (palati) which means palace, because of the Blahern Palace which is located very close. From the Byzantine period, it was a Jewish district, when a Jewish community settled there. Ahrida (Ohrid) Synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues in the city and it is located in Balat.

Balat

But after an earthquake (1894) and some fires in the area, the majority of its population moved to Galata area, and they were gradually replaced by immigrants from Black Sea region. By the establishment of Turkish Republic, warehouses, factories and workshops appeared in the area because of the close proximity to the waterfront. Later on, they were left empty because of location change of the port. Today, it is a poor, degraded area with a strong financial presence in the area due to its commercial street (Vodina Street). Since 2003, Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Districts Programme, a joint programme of European Union and Fatih Municipality, works on restoration of houses, social rehabilitation, renovation of the historical Balat Market and establishment of a waste management strategy. The Programme aims to actively involve district inhabitants through regular feedback on implementation and decision-making. (Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Programme) 62

Balat, İstanbul, 2014.

Balat

Balat neighborhood.

Base sorurce: google maps

Street life in Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Ayvansaray is a neighborhood between the Theodosian Wall and Balat by the Golden Horn. It is the old quarter of Blachernae (Vlachèrnae in Greek). Its name in Turkish means high palace and it was referred to Palace of Alexios I Komnenos (now disappeared), part of the complex of Blachernae. During Byzantine Period, Palace of Blachernae was an imperial residence in suburbs. Today, it is a picturesque quiet residential neighborhood, with a number of historic monuments like the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Tekfur Palace), the mosque of Atik Mustafa Pasha (originally a medieval Byzantine church), and the Ayazma enclosed in the small church of St. Mary of Blachernae and Blachernae Walls, part of the Theodosian Wall. Parts of the neighborhood, especially close to historical monuments, are also protected by UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention. 64

Street life in Ayvansaray, İstanbul, 2014.

Ayvansaray

Ayvansaray neighborhood. Base sorurce: google maps

UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. Its mission is to: • Encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage, • Encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List, • Encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites, • Help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training, • Provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger, • Support States Parties’ public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation, • Encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their 66

cultural and natural heritage, • Encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world’s cultural and natural heritage. (UNESCO World Heritage Center)

Street in Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Selection criteria

In 1994, after 22 years from the adoption of the Convention, the List lacked balance in the type of inscribed properties and in the geographical areas of the world that were represented. as the vast majority was located in developed regions of the world, notably in Europe. So, the World Heritage Committee launched the Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List which aims to ensure that the List reflects the world’s cultural and natural diversity. Since then, 39 new countries have joined the World Heritage Convention, many from small Pacific Island States, Eastern Europe, Africa and Arab States. (UNESCO World Heritage Center) To be included on the World Heritage List, a site must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria (six cultural and four natural criteria). Only countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention, pledging to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for sites on their territory to be considered for inclusion in the List. (i). to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius (cultural criteria), (ii). to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or 67

within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design (cultural criteria), (iii). to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared (cultural criteria), (iv). to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history (cultural criteria) (v). to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change (cultural criteria) (vi). to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria, cultural criteria) (vii). to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance (natural criteria), (viii). to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features (natural criteria), (ix). to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal 68

Building in Fener, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals (natural criteria), (x). to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation (natural criteria). (UNESCO World Heritage Center)

Historic Areas of Istanbul

The Outstanding Universal Value of Istanbul (speaking about the Historical Peninsula) resides in its unique integration of architectural masterpieces that reflect the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries, and in its incomparable skyline formed by the creative genius of Byzantine and Ottoman architects. The four areas of the site are the Archaeological Park, at the tip of the Historic peninsula; the Suleymaniye quarter with Suleymaniye Mosque complex, bazaars and vernacular settlement around it; the Zeyrek area of settlement around the Zeyrek Mosque (the former church of the Pantocrator), and the area along both sides of the Theodosian land walls including remains of the former Blachernae Palace. The site was scripted in on 1985 and it fulfills the 4 first criteria from the criteria list, all of the cultural criteria. (UNESCO World Heritage Center) Finding a balance between change and preservation is a delicate issue in the Historic Areas. The Management Plan, which is currently being prepared in collaboration with 69

Park next to the waterfront in Balat, İstanbul, 2014.

all stakeholders in conformity with the related legislation, will address this issue. It will address the traffic and transport plan for the city, the urban regeneration strategy and tourism management, and will provide a proper framework to ensure that construction and infrastructure projects respect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. It will also include policies for conservation, standards for restoration and rehabilitation, management responsibilities, accessibility, visitor management, policies for increasing the perception of the site, increasing the quality of daily life, risk management, awareness raising and training. (UNESCO World Heritage Center) 70

View from Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Districts Programme

Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Districts Programme is a joint programme of the European Union and Fatih Municipality. The Programme is being implemented by Fatih Municipality, supported by a Technical Assistance Team and it started in January 2003. It works under four concepts: restoration of houses, social rehabilitation, renovation of the historical Balat Market and establishment of a waste management strategy and it aims for the active participation of the district inhabitants through regular feedback on implementation and decision-making. (Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Programme)

Restoration in progress.

Visualization of Ayvansaray by Rehabilitation Programme. 71

Design area As the 3 neighborhoods are huge, for that specific project it is selected the area between Yıldırım Street and Çınçınlı Çeşme Street by the Golden Horn, which includes parts of the 3 different neighborhoods. After a field trip to the site in order to collect information about the current situation in the focus area, a layer analysis of the urban situation has been done. Urban fabric is dense with narrow streets. As it was an area with former important churches and schools, there are still big open spaces around them which are fenced or unused. In the dense area, there is a variety of public buildings, like mosques, churches, synagogues, schools and libraries, some of them built on Byzantine and Ottoman period. The most interesting is that a core of old dense wooden buildings already exists close to the waterfront, but on the top of the hill there are newly constructed concrete apartment buildings. Between the new and the old urban fabric, there is an area where new meets old constructions, and as there are some empty plots, which is an opportunity to create an interesting combination of historic and contemporary built environment. As the area is an old neighborhood of the city which became abandoned after the 72

Greek Orthodox church in Balat, İstanbul, 2014.

Balat

Source: Google maps

Fener

Source: Google maps

li<

Built environment.

li<

S2 li<

New vs old urban fabric.

Public buildings. 73

majority of its residents moved to other parts of the city or in other countries, the quality of some buildings are poor or bad. Some need minor reparation to maintain their situation and some need extend reparations to reinforce their construction in order to be safe for their residents. Few of the buildings though are half demolished and they need a reconstruction to reach their original situation. The majority of poor quality buildings are in the area of Fener close to Mürselpaşa Street. The area has a unique topography which influences the build environment. It is built between the waterfront and a hill, so the northwest part is on the top of the hill (approximately 30 m above sea level) and it goes all the way down till Golden Horn (in around 500 m). As a result, main streets are following the topography and there is one highway street close to the waterfront, and one narrower on the top of the hill. Bus lines are passing by those two main streets and there is no connection between the waterfront and the hill. Secondary streets are connecting the two main streets. As the topography is so strong, there are two major cores in the area. One on the top of the hill, which is the conservative neighborhood of Çarşamba with a strong commercial center. Close to the waterfront, there is the commercial center of Balat, with restaurants and cafes, small shops and workshops. There is a smaller center in Fener, close to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which mainly focuses to visitors and tourists of the area. 74

Çarşamba, İstanbul, 2014.

Commercial street in Balat, İstanbul, 2014.

li<

Bus stop in Çarşamba, İstanbul, 2014.

Bad quality buildings.

Hal

S2 i<

Hal

Main street pattern.

Topography. 75

Hal

Hali

Hal

Hali

Main axes.

5 to 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122; walking distance.

Except from the two bus lines, there is also a ferry line which connects the area with the other side of Golden Horn and the city center, but it is used mainly by tourists, as buses are faster. Between the two centers, residents use to walk up and down the hill, with 15 to 20 minutes walk you can go from the waterfront to the top of the hill and the opposite. So, a second pedestrian network vertical to the other one is identified, but bike transportation is still not common. In such a dense urban fabric, there are not so many green/public spaces. There is a big linear park by the waterfront, but it is separated from the actual city by the busy highway. Smaller green/public spaces are located close to main public buildings and they are used as outdoors space. So, streets and pavements are where the actual public life is found. There are also two big empty spaces which are fenced and accessible because they belong to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 76

Street life in Balat, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

S1 li<

li<

Comercial uses.

Ă&#x2021;arĹ&#x;amba

Balat

S2 li<

li<

Ha li<

li<

Main centers and public transportation.

Green and public spaces vs empty spaces. 77

FaĂ§ade tiling in Balat, Ä°stanbul, 2014.

4. Design toolbox

I S TA N B U L P U B L I C S PA C E S A N D P U B L I C L I F E

A n a c c e s s i b l e c i t y - a c i t y fo r p e o p l e

Istanbul, an accessible city- a city for people, Istanbul public spaces and public life. (Gehl Architects, EMBARQ Turkey, 2011)

Design principles According to a research project made by Gehl Architects and EMBARQ Turkey, the historic peninsula of Istanbul is an areas with a great importance, various qualities and potentials to become a livable and sustainable part of the city. Their analysis and strategies are referring to the actual historical core up to the first city wall (Topkapi, Sultanahmet area and Beyazit area up to Atatürk Street) on three different layers: City Qualities, Walkability and Recreation. My focus area is outside of the research area of that project, but I think that it has a huge importance for city’s history and should be treated as the rest of the historic areas, so it would become a part of them and a node between the actual historic core and the Theodosian walls historic area. After analyzing the focus area of Fener and Balat, I try to expand the design principles and guidelines of Gehl’s project to my area by creating a toolbox of strategies in various levels (showing the relation between the actual historic core and Fener and Balat) which will be followed on my proposal. 81

City/ district level First layer of design principles is the urban structure. As the area is quite old, its structure is defined through the time and it should be protected and preserved as a quality, a memory of the past.

Fener and Balat is on the 5th hill of Istanbul (seven hills in total) which offers magnificent views and highlights their monuments by make them part of cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique skyline. 82

Urban Structure

Topography

! Inclination in some

streets are so high that steep grades are necessary. This challenging pedestrian landscape is difficult for people with disabilities, people with prams or the elderly and bikers.

History

! Î&#x153;onumentssometimes

The city and the neighborhood have a long history from Byzantine period which is still present in the urban structure. Modern functions have developed side by side with the monuments and created a great combination.

Urban structure

+ The urban structure

is old and defined long time ago considering by the topography and highlighting the great monuments.

work as barriers in terms of integration with the city and the waterfront, especially in the areas close to the walls. By the time some monuments are ignored (maintenance and proper utilization of area around them) which affects their quality today.

! Due to the messy

street network, the city is complex to comprehend, access and orientate in.

Due to the topography and the urban structure the city and the focus area have interesting walking routes which are offering varied walking experiences.

Pedestrian routes

! Because of the lack

of planning, there is no clear pedestrian network, only few walking routes which are difficult to be followed due to poor connections between them.

! The lack of proper

and clear pedestrian crossings, bridges or subways adds more difficulties in pedestrian network.

Stairs in Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Public transportation

! Public transportation

Tram and metro lines are a popular, cheap and easy way to commute in Istanbul. They are widely used by the locals and offer great connectivity and better urban environment. Bus lines are serving the rest of the city.

Land wall of İstanbul, 2014.

is usually crowded, especially the lines serving the inner city and the Asian side. Also, there is poor connection between the different means of transportation and pedestrian network lacks bike infrastructure. 85

Strategy

A pedestrian oriented neighborhood which promotes walking, cycling, and public transportation and makes it easy for user to change among them. Effective connectivity with the rest of the city will enable residents to commute easier and tourists to reach the area. 86

Urban Space

Second layer of design principles is urban space. Access to adequate and qualitative urban space is influenced by planning and maintenance especially in historic areas like these. Pavement-Pedestrian network

In Istanbul there is a great amount of people on foot. These people bring life to the streets and promote a sustainable and healthy transport mode.

! Lack of maintenance

of the pavements, pedestrian streets and public lights create poor walking conditions and unsafety in the public space.

Footways are frequently used for parking and that way pedestrians are forced onto the road.

! Street network is car

oriented and as a result there is not enough safe pedestrian crossing.

+ Public space has a

unique potential due to the combination of landscape, history and monuments.

Fantastic location

Parks and green spaces are isolated, because of the difficult access to them. Other public spaces like mosque yards or university park have a significant meaning for residents which limits their use as recreational spaces.

! !

Public squares are not part of the usual vocabulary of that city (as it has an Islamic character) and there are leftover pieces with no particular character or identity. 88

Haliç Park, Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

Historic monuments

Mosques, palaces, city walls, aqueducts. Istanbul as well as Fener and Balat are rich in historic monuments representing city’s long history and adding a great potential on experiencing the urban space.

Tourists tend to visit monuments in the very central areas and forget to enjoy the actual city life and “secret” monuments. Many of them have poor surroundings and improper maintenance. 89

Strategy

Attractive public spaces and historic sites integrated with the rest of the city. It is important for a sustainable development of the neighborhood and the health of their residents to provide qualitative urban space, adequate access to public and green spaces for everyone. 90

Third layer of design principles is public life. Social life in the public space has to do about the balance between private and public space, sense of belonging and safety. Safety

During the night, some areas are empty as they lack of night activities as well as accommodation. Except from busy streets, passing by in the rest of the area gives a feeling of unsafety, especially for women.

During the day trade activities and some visitors give a great pulse in the public life. Even the small streets are used for outdoor activities, meeting neighbors, children play etc.

Mixed uses

offers a diversity of functions and uses, combining commercial activities, touristic sites, office workplaces and residential functions.

!"##$%!&'(

+ The historic peninsula

!"## $% !&

Social Life

!"#$%"&'() *+,$-

!"##$%!&'( !"##$%!&'(

!"#$%&'()

!"##$%!&'(

'()%#"'

!"#$%&!'(%!)

Unfortunately the different functions are clustered. Distribution of them creates large mono-functional areas and lead to a city out of balance.

!"#$"%&

+ The public space has

a unique potential due to the combination of landscape, history and monuments.

Urban environment

The streets experience a severe lack of resting facilities, they are mostly for walking. The only place that public benches could be found is in some parks and mosque yards.

Many children are playing in the street because of the lack of playground facilities within urban open spaces.

! 92

Climate and â&#x20AC;&#x153;atmosphereâ&#x20AC;?

Colors, smells, textures, sounds, breezes from the sea. Istanbul offer a great variety of sensory experiences to its visitors.

Istanbul suffers by traffic congestion especially in big central streets which is causing serious problems of noise and fumes. As a result, quality of outdoor life in the streets is affected in a great extent.

Istanbul has Mediterranean climate offering wonderful summers and mild winters. Excellent conditions for an outdoor public life.

Strategy

Greater variety of activities around the clock in a multi-functional city will make livable neighborhoods and activate financially the area. By creating commercial and leisure activities, neighborhood will become more popular and financially sustainable. 94

Busy street in Ayvansaray, İstanbul, 2014.

Street function

In order to upgrade the quality of urban environment, reduce the use of the car, promote walking and create a financially and socially active neighborhood all day round, street functions have to change and a new network implemented. The new network aims to give more space to pedestrians and bikers and discourage the car use inside the area. Following, it is shown all different kind of streets and roads in the area today and the changes are proposed to them. 95

Ayvansaray Street (before intervention).

Highway The most important street in the area is the highway, Ayvansaray street (boulevard with 3 lanes each direction) which works as connection between the city center and BeyoÄ&#x;lu area with the national highway E5 (first ring road of the city) leading to the first Bosporus Bridge. Due to the existing urban structure, in some points the two directions separate and there is park and few buildings in between. Where two directions are one next to the other, the street works as a very strong barrier, keeping pedestrian and city life away from the waterfront. To make the street more pedestrian friendly and enable connection with the waterfront, road width will decrease to two lanes per direction plus one bike lane in each. As the bus lines connecting the area with the rest of the city are passing on that street, bus lane (for all the different bus and taxi providers) in both directions is proposed. Also, both pavements are becoming slightly wider to be used by more pedestrians and staircases and steps are implemented by the waterfront to allow people reach the water. 96

Ayvansaray Street (after intervention).

Ayvansaray Street (before intervention).

Ayvansaray Street (after intervention).

Where two directions are separated and there is a park in between, the road works as a double barrier. It separates the city from the waterfront as well as it makes the park look like an island between the car flow. As a result, city life and the big green area donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t interact because there is noise and unsafety feeling. As access to green areas is very important to such a dense city, the great challenge is to connect the urban fabric with the park. Thus, two directions move one next to the other as a physical continuation of the road (in that way, pedestrians need just one car crossing to reach the waterfront) and the park is transformed as an ending of the urban fabric and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? barrier for car noise and pollution. Urban fabric and green start integrating one into the other and generate an active merge. 97

Ayan Street (before intervention).

Ayan Street (after intervention).

Car Street The biggest streets inside the neighborhood (like Vodina and Ayan Street) today have the main commercial activity of the area, so the most pedestrian movements, but at the same time the most cars are passing and parking. Everyday life is an interaction of pedestrians and cars which limits its potentials. By changing the street into an one-way street with limited number of parking spots will give more space to the pavement and encourage pedestrian movements. Commercial activity will become easily accessible for everyone, even for bikers, enjoyable and safer, as less car will be around. 98

Mixed Street (before intervention).

Mixed Street (after intervention).

Mixed street Medium size street (around 5 m wide), which are few in the focus area, are used mainly for parking and residents movements. Sometimes they are quiet narrow for two cars or very steep for comfortable car driving. As these streets are the ones connecting the car streets, they will work as a secondary car network which will complete the primary one. No parking spots will be provides in order to give more space to pedestrians, ex. outdoor chatting with neighbors and to bikers. 99

Pedestrian Street (before intervention).

Pedestrian Street (after intervention).

Pedestrian Street There are many very narrow streets in the neighborhood which today are used for inner neighborhood movements and outdoors activities, as a semi-public yard. Cars are passing from times to times and usually parking on the pavement. Because of the parked cars and the narrow pavement pedestrians sometimes are forced to walk in the street. In order to encourage walking and biking, a new network of pedestrian streets is implemented. The aim is to connect all public spaces and give the possibility to pedestrians and bikers to go around the area with the least possible interaction with cars. Pedestrian streets are paved differently as the mixed streets, to make obvious the difference but there will still allow access for emergency vehicles like ambulance. All kind of outdoor activities, ex. commercial and recreational uses will fast appear and these streets will host the local life of the neighborhood. 100

Focus Area

As the focus area is quiet big, it will be divided into two zones, the first one closer to the waterfront will be the actual implementation area. In the remaining area, the zone between the new and the existing, implementation will start just by changing the street network as a first step (to have a gradual integration with the surroundings) and as a next step the rest of the strategies will be implemented. Aim for the focus area is to create an alternative urban structure which will be example for the rest of the city and gradually will spread its qualities. To encourage bike travels across the waterfront, a bike way will the designed in the linear park connecting the central areas (Eminönü, Karaköy etc.) and with Eyüp (funicular with great view of the city just outside Theodosian walls). Fener and Balat will be a stop along the bike way towards Eyüp for visiting historical buildings (different cultural, historical and religious buildings), have a rest in the park, eat lunch or dinner or enjoy the unique urban environment of the historic neighborhood. The new street network is pedestrian and bike oriented, so a new block division has implemented using the existing urban fabric by changing the street function. Finally, the linear park is connected with the urban fabric and green/open spaces are introduced 101

Main public buildings Library (old greek high school) Ruined Church Metrology Church (Palestinian Orthodox Christian Church) Restaurant- Cafeteria Yusuf Secaattin Ambari Mosque Greek Church Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Library

Art workshop Bulgarian Orthodox Church Ali Yazici Mosque Strategy plan.

where it is possible so the green starts integrating into the built environment and gives everyone the possibility to access it. At the same time, new construction will fill the empty plot to make a continuous city environment, structure the open space and provide residential and commercial facilities. 102

S1 S2

Car street network.

Mixed (local) street network.

New street pattern New car network formulates bigger blocks (areas with no car) and gives car access to as much streets as it is need. It is designed to facilitate big financial activities and the connections between the waterfront and the top hill areas.

S1 S2

Pedestrain street network. 103

New urban footprint In order to minimize the urban gaps and give the filling of a continuous dense urban neighborhood, new construction are added where it is necessary. Especially in the big empty plot, a whole building block is constructed to formulate the public space. (New buildings in black) S1 S2

Urban footprint (after intervention).

S1 S2

Pedestrain and green network. 104

Pedestrian and green network Inside the new blocks, streets will be mostly for pedestrians and bikers. A new pedestrian network aims to connect all public buildings in the area and combined with new green areas will create a safe and pleasant urban environment. As it goes up to the hill, it becomes more urban and green and open spaces are smaller with little more private character.

Transformation of ruined building into park.

Reparation and climate strategies

Building reparation strategies.

As the area is part of a rehabilitation programme with collaboration of European Union and UNESCO, existing buildings inside the protected area should be preserved and restored. Because of the complicated ownership and the lack of central planning, the area is under poor maintenance and some buildings need excessive reparations or reconstruction. According to the proposed strategy for reparation, buildings are categorized according to their structural condition. The ones with no or limited structural reparation will be totally restored and maintained from times to times to act as reminders of the history of the neighborhood. The ones that need sever construction reparation will be kept as ruins (after the unsafe part of them are removed) and they will act as memory (as even the fact that they were left abandoned and without maintenance is a part of neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history) open spaces. On that way, the neighborhood will have enough open and green spaces with an alternative historically loaded character 105

Water management To improve the water management, drainage is combined with a water collection system. Every tree, which will be planted in pedestrian streets and public spaces, will be combined with an underground water storage and perforated pavement, so the rain water will be collected and stored to be reused in the neighborhood. Tree section showing water collection.

Shadow and rain protection. 106

Climate design Istanbul has Mediterranean climate, warm and dry summers and mild and wet winters. In the summer, shading devices and trees in the public space are providing enough shadow to increase humidity and cool down the temperature, so people feel more comfortable. In the winter, shading devices and trees will protect pedestrians from rain and collect the water in order to reuse it.

Climate design On the building level, green areas, like gardens and yards as well as parks and green spaces will keep temperature low and provide cool breeze for buildings. Also, shading and big openings for houses will enable breezing in the rooms and help cooling down during the day.

Pedestrain street network.

107

108

Street in Fener, İstanbul, 2014.

5. Project proposal

109

Birds eye view of the area.

Masterplan section. 110

Project proposal is developed in 3 different scales. The neighborhood level, first zoom in level on the new core which is created (part of the neighborhood) and the street and public space level. In all level, strategies and tool above are used to upgrade the urban quality and create an example area for the city of Istanbul.

Masterplan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Neighborhood level

Masterplan area includes the core area of intervention, and a zone around it. A new street hierarchy is implemented based on the existing street pattern, so new blocks are formulated in order to encourage safe pedestrian and bike movements.

111

The linear park which was located between the two lanes of Ayvansaray Street, is now connected with the city fabric and green is gradually flowing inside the urban. The linear park works as a buffer zone between the city and the busy street, and as the most public space of the area. Cultural functions are spread all over it, from museums and libraries till religious buildings, the majority of them already existing. As we walk up to the hill, public and green spaces become smaller, like small hidden corners in the dense urban area, in order to provide both privacy and public life. The new core of the neighborhood is the Market square, by Vodina Street. It is the biggest open public space in the area, a former church courtyard unused for more than hundred years. Its new functions as an open green space is to host the weekly street market of the neighborhood and combine the new with the old buildings. The Ruin square, located northern of the Market square, is the upper corner of the former church yard, which contains the ruins of a mall church. Formulated as a small urban open space, with the ruins in the center offers a reminder of the past with an interaction with the modern city life. New street hierarchy provides a pedestrian network with focus on offering both busy commercial and private neighborhood feeling streets. Public spaces and street functions are designed so the more up to the hill, the more focused on privacy, as they are becoming smaller and less commercial. 112

Masterplan

0 5 10 20 30

113

Ruin square.

1st Zoom in â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The New Core

The new core aims to relocate the major public life, from streets to the squares and gives an example of a combination of old and new structures in a multicultural environment. 114

0 2,5 5

Zoom plan 1. 115

Zoom plan 1 section.

116

117

Market square.

2nd Zoom in â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Square and new block

The new block is implemented to structure and formulate the two separated squares and provide affordable housing. Also, the scale of the houses and their form are following the existing urban fabric in order to have a smooth combination, but at the same time they are designed on sustainable and climate oriented way so they can be an example for the city. 118

0 2 4

Ruin square

Market square

Linear park

Zoom 2 plan.

Zoom plan 1. 119

Zoom 2 plan.

2nd Zome in â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The New Street Character

The new street hierarchy is the first and most important implementation in the neighborhood. The idea of new pedestrian functioning street is not completely new in Islamic cities, but not in such an extent. New principles for designing or upgrading a neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public space are putting human and not car in the center. Pedestrians and bikers and their safety and qualitative experiences, are the priority in that street hierarchy. 120

Pedestrain street section.

Pedestrain semi-private street section.

Green pocket park section.

121

122

Ceiling of Şakirin Mosque, Üsküdar, İstanbul, 2014.

6. Conclusion

123

Qualities for a livable district

In order to create my toolbox of strategies and design principles, I number urban qualities which are considered necessary and important in order to achieve sustainability in public life in modern Islamic cities and are the ones I used on my proposal. 1. Access to public spaces and urban green areas. Spaces like mosques, squares and parks where people could meet and socialize and green spaces are important for a better environment, atmosphere and metal health for people living in urban areas. 2. Financial activity in urban environment. Market or street market is an important event for a district, a generator for future development which enforce street life. Especially in Islamic cities, market is close to the mosque (center of neighborhood) and it is an important event for the neighborhood. 3. Street network- Connectivity. Roads and streets should facilitate commuting in the district and provide the necessary space for pedestrians, bikes and cars. 4. Building quality. Adequate quality of construction, access to water, electricity and sanitation for all the houses 5. Mixed uses. Mixed uses in the building in order to have a livable and financially active neighborhood all day. 6. Social sustainability. Mix of different culture, income and age groups. Balance between public and private areas to ensure peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interaction and safety feeling for women and children. (Gehl, 2008) 124

Local pedestrian street.

125

Abu-Lughod Janet L. 1987 The Islamic City--Historic Myth, Islamic Essence, and Contemporary Relevance, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 155-176 Axiarlis Evangelia 2014 Political Islam and the Secular State in Turkey: Democracy, Reform and the Justice and Development Party, I.B. Tauris. Behar Cem 2003 A neighborhood in Ottoman Istanbul, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY Clogg Richard 20 June 2002 A Concise History of Greece. Cambridge University Press ISBN 978-0-521-00479-4 Derviş Pelin, Öner Meriç 2009 Mappinf Istanbul, Garanti Gallery, Istanbul Gehl Architects, EMBARQ Turkey 2011 Istanbul, an accessible city- a city for people, Istanbul public spaces and public life. Gehl Jan 2008 Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space, Danish Architectural Press, Copenhagen, Denmark ISBN 8774073605 126

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2002 Introduction to the Islamic City, Foundation for Science Technology and Civilization, Manchester, United Kingdom UNESCO 2012 Historic Areas of Istanbul, World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS Joint Reactif Monitoring Mission Report, 19-23 November 2012 UN-HABITAT 2003 Challenge of Slums: Global report on human settlements. UN-HABITAT: Nairobi ISBN 1-84407-037-9 2007 Twenty first session of the governing council. UN-HABITAT: Nairobi United Nations 2014 World Urbanization Prospects – The 2014 Revision Highlights, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, New York ISBN 978–92–1–151517–6 Yildiz Şevket, 2011 What Does Make a City Islamic?, International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 2 No. 8 Websites Turkish Statistical Institution http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/ Great Istanbul http://www.greatistanbul.com/ Rehabilitation of Fener and Balat Programme http://www.fenerbalat.org/ UNESCO World Heritage Center http://whc.unesco.org/ 128