ld urbancon planningcasestudy

7/30/2019 LD UrbanCon PlanningCaseStudy

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Urban Conservaon Case Study: IstanbulLaura DiPasqualeHSPV621 Spring 2011


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elegantchurchesofConstantinople,theOttomansassertedtheirpowerbyconvertingthechurches

tomosquesbyaddingminarets,definingtheskylinethatisstillevidenttoday.2

The19thcenturyinTurkeysawaseriesofprogressivereforms,knownasTanzimat,which

alteredtheEasternmannerismsofthecity,andsetitonapathtowardsmodernizationand

Westernization.Thesereformsanddevelopmentsincludedtheintroductionoffactories,the

railroad,StockExchange,newspapers,postalservice,universitiesandschoolsofartandmedicine.In

1836,aPrimeMinisterreplacedtheGrandVizier,andin1856,thecountrypassed Istahat,which

guaranteedequalrightsforallpeopleintheempire,regardlessofethnicorreligiousbackground.

Theseprogressivemovements,coupledwiththeopeningoftheGalataportif1909,madewayfor

increasedworldlyinfluenceinIstanbul.3

In1923,theEmpirefell,andAtaturkmovedthecapitalofTurkeytoAnkara,destroyingthe

politicalpowerofIstanbulovernight.Forthenextdecade,littleurbanplanningoccurred.Inthe

early1930s,Ataturkcommissionedareportontransportationgrowth,historicpreservationand

zoning,whichwasneverimplemented.4In1936,AtaturkinvitedHenriProsttoIstanbultodevelopa

MasterPlantobebasedontheModernistphilosophy,whichwouldmodernizeandsecularizethe

cityandadaptittotheautomobile. 5Thisplan,whichwasincrementallyimplementedbetween

19361950,separatedthecityintousezones:Industrial,CulturalandTourist,whichremaininplace

today.InhisTouristzone,Prostcreatedanarchaeologicalpark,whichisolatedbuildingssuchas

HagiaSophia,YeniCami,SultanahmetandtheTopkapiPalace,butpreservedthecityshistoric

silhouette.6

2SeeAppendix1.13JamesSteele,TensionsandTransformationsintheMasterPlanningProcessofIstanbul(lecture,Urban

Transformation:Controversies,ContrastsandChallengesfromthe14thIPHSConference,Istanbul,Turkey,July

12,2010),3.4Ibid.5ProsthadpreviouslybeentoIstanbultoconsultontherestorationofHagiaSophiain1902.Steele:4.6Ibid.SeeAppendix2.


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Allsubsequentplansthrough1980focusedaroundtheModernistidealsputforwardin

Prostsplan,namelythecreationofwiderconcretestreetsandtheestablishmentofasocial

museum,whileissuessuchasthecitysrelationshipwiththewaterorthehistoricsignificanceofits

largerhistorywerelargelyignored. 7

1980s:PlanninginIstanbul

PoliticalandeconomicupheavalinTurkeyduringthe1970sledtoanumberofchangesin

thecountrywhichultimatelyimpactedthefieldofconservationinIstanbul.In1980,the

InternationalMonetaryFundfinancedastabilizationprograminIstanbul,liberalizingtheeconomy.

This,coupledwithapopulationboominthecityledtoashifttoexportorientedindustrializationand

thedevelopmentofthetouristtrade.Duringthemid1980s,Turkeyalsosawareturntodemocracy

andarestructuringoflocalgovernmentintoatwotiermetropolitanadministration.The

decentralizationoffunctionswassupposedtoallowthemetropolitanmunicipalitiestodelivermore

effectivepublicservices,butinreality,theplanningsystemandculturewasunabletocopewiththe

hugegrowthofthecityanditssubsequentdevelopmentprocesses.

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Between1955and1990,thepopulationofIstanbulgrewfrom1.5millionto7.3million.

Muchofthispopulationformedgecekondu,orillegalsquattersettlements,builtovernightwithout

planningapproval.Theseinformal,illegaldevelopmentscreatedinfillbetweenthestreetsof

traditionalOttomanhousesinhistoricneighborhoodsonthepeninsula.Thedevelopmentsrequired

infrastructurethathadnotbeenplannedfor,andoftenresultedinthedestructionofhistorichomes

tomakewayforadditionalfacilitiestocopewiththeincreasedpopulation.AlthoughIstanbulhad

thepublictransportationled,conservationoriented1980IstanbulMetropolitanAreaMasterPlanin

7Ibid.8ArzuKocabas,UrbanConservationinIstanbul:EvaluationandReconceptualization, HabitatInternational30

(2006):115(HereaftercitedasKocabas(2006)).


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placeatthistime,politicalpressuresawthatthesedevelopmentswereretrospectivelyregularized

bymodifyingtheapprovedMasterPlan,thuseffectivelynegatingitalltogether. 9

In1983,Istanbulpassedthe1983ConservationAct,whichintheorystrengthenedthe

conservationcomponentofthestatutoryplanningsystem,butinpracticewaslargelyineffective.

TheConservationActembodiedthegoalsoftheUNESCOWorldHeritageConvention,andin1985,

theHistoricPeninsulaandfourConservationAreaswereinscribedaspartofaUNESCOWorld

HeritageSite.Intheory,thisdesignationstrengthenedproceduresforlistingbuildingsand

conservationareas(CAs),andrequiredthatthemetropolitanmunicipalityproducestatutory

ConservationOrientedDevelopmentPlans(CODPs);however,thezoneswerenotactually

designatedasCAsuntil1995,andtheCODPwasnotprepareduntil2003. 10

Duetothenewmunicipalstructure,theprioritiesoftheMayorplayedanimportantrolein

determiningwhichpoliciesandplanswereactuallyenactedandsupported.Duringtheearly80s,

developmentorientedMayorDalansoughttomodernizetheurbaninfrastructurethroughprivate

transportationsolutionsaimedatdecreasingcongestionthroughadditionalurbanmotorways.He

replacedthe1980MasterPlanwiththeinformal,privatetransportationanddevelopmentcentered

198486IstanbulTransportMasterPlan. 11

Whilehisintentionsweretosolvetheissuesofcongestion,MayorDalansplans,which

mirroredtheurbanrenewaleffortsofmuchoftheWesternworld,hadnumerousimplicationsfor

theheritageareasofIstanbul.HisprojectreplacedthehistoricfabricoftheGoldenHornwitha

greenareaanddestroyedmanycharacteristicOttomanhousesalongtheriverwithatwolane

elevatedroad,displacingthepoorerresidentsinitspath.Theimplementationofanotherinformal,

9Ibid.,114.10ArzuKocabas,Towards'green'ConservationPlanninginIstanbul'sHistoricPeninsula(lecture,WOCMES

Secretariat,EuropeanInstituteoftheMediterranean,Barcelona,Spain,July20,2010):2(Hereaftercitedas

Kocabas(2010)).11Kocabas(2006):116.SeeAppendix1.2


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illegalinfrastructureinvestmentplan,knownastheEssenPlan,constructedafourlanehighway

throughthehistoricBeyogluarea,demolishingelevenhundred19 thcenturybuildingsanddisplacing

fivethousandpeople.Thisplanwasadoptedafteranalternativeplan,whichwouldhavehadfewer

negativeconsequences,wasdisregardedbecauseitwouldhavetakenlongertoimplement.12

1980s:HeritageTourismandtheLocalEconomy

Atthesametime,inthe1980s,tourismbegantogrowinIstanbul.Astheeconomicneedto

findnewusesforbuildingsincreased,manyformerlyresidentialstructuresinhistoricneighborhoods

wereconvertedintoboutiqueshopsorsmallhotels.Whiletheissueofthedisplacementofthepoor

remained,localjobcreationhelpedtosomewhatcounteractthiseffect.Conservation,whichhad

previouslybeenseensolelyasanelitepastime,wasshowntohaveapositiveimpactonurban

economicdevelopment.13

Nonetheless,therewasstillnotafullrecognitionofthevalueofheritageresources,and

manyhistoricstructureswerelosttothedevelopmentofthetourismindustry.TurkeysTourism

PromotionActof1982createdstatesupportforthedevelopmentoftouristfacilitiesandheritage

tourism,buthadtheunintendedconsequenceofallowinghighriseandskyscraperredevelopment

projectswithinthehistoricareaofthecity. 14Dalansplanalsoinvolvedtheclearanceofsporadic

andirregularurbanareasonthehistoricpeninsulaneartheimportantheritagestructuresHagia

SophiaandtheBlueMosquetomakewayforunobstructedviewsandpleasantplazas,courtsand

publicparks,thusfurtherisolatingthehistoricareasfromtherestoftheurbancenter. 15

12Ibid.,117.

13Kocabas(2010):2.

14Kocabas(2006):116.

15Akbulut:3.


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ThisgentrificationtookplaceprimarilyintheneighborhoodsofCihangirandGalata,butless

sointhedistrictsoftheHistoricPeninsula,whichpeopledidnotbelieveweremovingupinthe

market.ManybuildingownersintheHistoricPeninsula,believingtheycouldntfindeconomicuses

fortheirbuildings,razedthemforparkinglots. 19

In1995,anewIstanbulMetropolitanAreaMasterPlanwasdeveloped,whichadvocated

boththedecentralizationofindustryintheCBDsandCAs,andtheneedtoinvestinpublic

transportation.ThisMasterPlanwasnotapprovedbytheMinistryhowever,sothecitycontinuedto

developoninformal,localinvestmentplans.Despitethis,MayorSozensinterestinandemphasison

environmentalsustainabilityandlongterminvestmentprogramsremovedthethreatonhistoric

areasfrompublicsectorfundedinfrastructureprojects.HedevelopedtheMetroproject,apublic

transportationprogramtohelpreducetrafficcongestion,andtheNaturalGasprojecttohelpreduce

airpollution.UnderSozen,conservationplanningturnedtothepreparationofaCODPforthe

historicpeninsula,whichwasnotcompleteduntil2003. 20

DespitetheMayorsbestefforts,however,authentic,woodenOttomanhousesinhistoric

neighborhoodscontinuedtodeteriorate;manyofthoseprotectedbytheHighCouncilwere

subjecttoarsontomakewayforprofitableparkinglots,dismantledbypoorinhabitantstoactas

fuel,orlefttorotbecauseownerscouldnotaffordtoabidebythestrictrestorationguidelines. 21

21stCenturyUrbanConservation

OneissuefacingIstanbulimmediatelyattheturnofthe20thcenturywasthe1999Marmara

earthquake,whichdestroyed300,000buildingsandkilled17,000people.Intheaftermathofthe

disaster,manyhistoricareasinIstanbulweredeterminedtobeparticularlydangerous,makingthem

ahigherpriorityforseismicretrofitting.TheEarthquakeMasterPlanofIstanbul,developedafterthe

19Ibid.

20Kocabas(2006):119.

21Ibid.SeeAppendix4.


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earthquake,specificallyaddresseshistoricandculturalheritagebuildings,promotestheprotectionof

historicandculturalvalues,andtheneedtocreateaprioritizedlistofregisteredbuildings;however,

surveysofthehistoricresourcesinIstanbularestillnotcomprehensive. 22

DespitethestrengtheningofconservationpowersinIstanbulinthelastdecade,much

erosionofhistoricfabrichascontinued,andissuesofsocialexclusionanddisplacementstillloom.

ThedeterioratingconditionsandlackofcommitmenttoconservationbyTurkishauthoritiescameto

theforefrontin2003whenUNESCOthreatenedtomoveIstanbultothelistofWorldCultural

HeritageinDanger. 23

In2004,UNESCO,inconjunctionwiththeIstanbulTechnicalUniversity,conductedthe

IstanbulHistoricPeninsulaConservationStudy(knownsimplyastheIstanbulProject),whichaimed

togeneratecomprehensiveplanningandconservationstrategiesfortheHistoricPeninsula,focusing

ontheZeyrek,SuleymaniyeandYenikapiareas.Theirmethodologyincludedanalysisofthehistory

oftheareas,goalsandobjectivesofconservationanddevelopment(includingaphysicalanalysisof

transportation,landandbuildinguseandcondition,constructionmaterial,andharmonywith

architecturalcharacter),andsurveyswiththeareasresidentstogaugetheirlevelofunderstanding

ofurbanconservationanditsgoals.Theirultimateaimwastoprotecttheauthentic,intacthistoric

environmentandemphasizerehabilitationinsteadofthedecentralizationofjobsorresidential

redevelopment,andtoimprovehousingconditionsfortheexistingresidents. 24

Thethreatofdelistingprovidedamuchneededwakeupcalltoauthorities,andinJuly

2010,TurkishofficialsfromtheIstanbulGreaterMunicipalityandtheMinistryofCultureandTourism

22MuratBalamir,UrbanSeismicRiskManagement:TheEarthquakeMasterPlanofIstanbul(lecture,13th

WorldConferenceonEarthquakeEngineering,Vancouver,B.C.,Canada,August1,2004).23JonathanHead,Istanbul'sUnescoWorldHeritageStatusunderThreat, BBCNews,August29,2010.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worldeurope11095638(accessedApril1,2011).24NuranZerenGulersoy, IstanbulProject:IstanbulHistoricPeninsulaConservationStudy(Istanbul,Turkey:

IstanbulTechnicalUniversity,FacultyofArchitecture,UrbanandEnvironmentalPlanningandResearchCenter,

2004),120,http://web.itu.edu.tr/...csuygar/docs/istanbul.pdf(accessedApril1,2011).


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addressedtheUNESCOWorldHeritageCommittee,whoultimatelyrejectedtherequestthatIstanbul

beremovedfromtheWorldHeritageList.WhileUNESCOpraisedTurkishofficialsfortheirdecision

tohalttheconstructionofaFourSeasonsHotelonahistoricsite,andforaprojecttorenovate

historicwoodenOttomanarchitecture,theyaskedthatIstanbulreconsidercertainproposed

constructionprojects,suchasabridgeontheGoldenHornforthemetroandMarmarayproject.

Theyalsorequestedthatanewmasterplanfortheprotectionofthecityshistoricresources

evaluatetheeffectsofmajorinfrastructureprojectsthatmightimpacttheexistinghistoricfabric,

andthewayinwhichtheyplantoprotecthistoricOttomanarchitecture. 25

AlthoughtheIstanbulProjectaddressedmanyoftheseissuesintheory,theactual

implementationofhowtoaddressthequalityofhousingissuesfacingthecitysnearlyhalfmillion

(mostlypoor)residentsinhistoricneighborhoodsisstillasignificantproblem.Muchofthehistoric

woodenarchitecturefromtheOttomanperiodislocatedoutsideofthegeneraltouristareasof

Istanbul,andsoitsdeteriorationisnotaspublicallynoticeable.Thus,onechallengenowistofind

waystoattracthigherlevelsofpublicandprivateinvestmentinhistoricneighborhoodsinwaysthat

willmeettheneedsoftheresidentswhilealsopreservingthehistoricfabricandcontributingtothe

cityseconomicdevelopment.26

ReformstoTurkeysplanningsystemandculturehavebeentakingplaceinconjunctionwith

politicalmodernizationandEUharmonization,especiallysinceitbeganaccessionnegotiationsinthe

mid2000s.AccesstotheknowhowofEUstatesintermsofconservationhasprovidedatleasta

frameworkforthedevelopmentoftheseplans.27Muchplanningfocushasbeenondeveloping

25UnescoKeepsstanbulOnWorldHeritageList, TODAYSZAMAN,July31,2010.

http://www.todayszaman.com/news217711101unescokeepsistanbulonworldheritagelist.html (accessed

April1,2011).26Kocabas(2006):120.

27ICOMOSprojectsinIstanbulalsohavehelpedprovideexamplesofpositiveconservationpolicy,especiallyin

termsofthepreservationoftraditionalwoodenconstruction,theskillsforwhicharebeingrapidlylost.See


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informalstrategicplanningframeworkssuchastheJapaneseInternationalCooperationAgency,The

IstanbulNeighborhoodRegenerationStrategyandInvestmentProgram,andthepreviously

mentionedIstanbulEarthquakeMasterPlan.Theseframeworkslaythefoundationforlongterm

sustainablestrategiesforthecity,andwouldbelargelyconsistentwiththeEUapproach. 28Afterthe

adoptionoftheIstanbulHistoricPeninsulaConservationOrientedDevelopmentPlan(IHPCODP)in

2003,PrimeMinisterErdoganallocated$300millionfortheimplementationofthreeprojectsin

Istanbulwhichhighlightedthepotentialfortourismpoliciestopromoteconservation:Thehistoric

peninsularwalledcity,BeyogluGalataport,andtheKilyoKumburgazmarine.Unfortunately,

however,theIHPCODPwasannulledin2009,andasofearly2010,nolegallybindingconservation

planexistedfortheHistoricPeninsula.29

Themostrecentplan,the2008IstanbulMasterplan,providesanumberofobjectivesto

balanceconservationanddevelopmentinIstanbul,includingafocusonpolycentrismandthe

developmentofmultiplesubcentersthroughoutthemetropolitanarea.Currently,mostworkersin

thehistoricareasoftheEuropeansideofIstanbulcommutefromtheAnatolianside,whichasofyet

hasbeenlargelyundervaluedandunderutilized.Theneedsoftheseresidentsmustbetakeninto

considerationinconjunctionwithplanningeffortstoconserveheritageareasonbothsidesofthe

Bosphorus.30

Conclusion

AlthoughIstanbulpassedaConservationActin1983,andfourdistrictsofthecitywere

inscribedasaWorldHeritageSitein1985,littleconservationactivityactuallytookplaceinthe1970s

DavidMichelmore,AnalysisoftheStateofConservationoftheHistoricAreasofIstanbulWorldHeritageSite,

ICOMOS/UNESCOReview(2006).28Ibid.,121.

29Kocabas(2010):3.

30IstanbulMetropolitanMunicipality,RequestForProposalsFortheFutureDevelopmentofHaydarpasa

Istanbul,Turkey,April28,2009.SeeAppendix3.


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or80sduetothelackofresourcesorpoliticalsupport.Inthe1980s,Turkey,andIstanbulin

particular,struggledwithaninefficientbureaucracyandaninadvertentlydualplanningsystem,in

whichformal,statutorylanduseMasterplanswerecombinedwithorcounteractedbyinformal

infrastructureinvestmentplans.TheconsequenceofthiswasthattheMasterplans,howevergood,

hadonlyalimitedinfluenceintermsofimplementation,andchangesinadministrationresultedin

fluctuatingpolicies.Theexpansionofthetourismindustrythroughthe1980sfocusedheavilyonthe

preservationofmonumentalstructures,thebeautificationofthesurroundingareas,the

developmentoftouristfacilities,andthedecongestionofmotorways,oftenattheexpenseof

smaller,significanthistoricresourcesandthedisplacementofpoorresidents.Whilethegrowthof

themiddleclassinthe1990shelpedtorehabilitatesomeofthehistoricresidentialOttoman

architecture,itwasoftenachievedattheexpenseofthedisplacementoftheexistingresidents.

Today,whilethemonumentalstructuresinthehistoricareasofIstanbulremainpopulartourist

destinations,theyarelargelyisolatedfromtherestoftheurbancontext.


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Bibliography

Akbulut,M.Rifat.HistoricPreservationinIstanbul,Turkey.Lecture,19thInternationalFellows

ConferencefromJohnsHopkinsUniversityandtheMiddleEastTechnicalUniversityof

Turkey,Istanbul,Turkey,November20,1990.

Balamir,Murat.UrbanSeismicRiskManagement:TheEarthquakeMasterPlanofIstanbul.Lecture,

13thWorldConferenceonEarthquakeEngineering,Vancouver,B.C.,Canada,August1,2004.

IstanbulMetropolitanMunicipality.RequestForProposalsFortheFutureDevelopmentof

HaydarpasaIstanbul,Turkey.April28,2009.

Keyder,alar,andAyencGlobalizationofaThirdWorldMetropolis:Istanbulinthe1980's.

Review(FernandBraudelCenter)17,no.3(1994):328421.

Kocabas,Arzu.UrbanConservationinIstanbul:EvaluationandReconceptualization.Habitat

International30(2006):10726.

Kocabas,Arzu.Towards'green'ConservationPlanninginIstanbul'sHistoricPeninsula.Lecture,

WOCMESSecretariat,EuropeanInstituteoftheMediterranean,Barcelona,Spain,July20,

2010.

Michelmore,David.AnalysisoftheStateofConservationoftheHistoricAreasofIstanbul

WorldHeritageSite. ICOMOS/UNESCOReview(2006).

NC,AYE.ThePoliticsofIstanbul'sOttomanHeritageintheEraofGlobalism:Refractions

throughthePrismofaThemePark.(2007):23364.

Steele,James.TensionsandTransformationsintheMasterPlanningProcessofIstanbul.Lecture,

UrbanTransformation:Controversies,ContrastsandChallengesfromthe14thIPHS

Conference,Istanbul,Turkey,July12,2010.


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1.1 Istanbuls European skyline as viewed from the Anatolian side

1.2 Mul-lane highways along the edge of the Bosphorus on the European side

Appendix 1


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2.1 and 2.2 Clearance of dense urban fabric has created large plazas and open space to make way

for nice views of monuments such as Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, but isolated them from

their context.

Appendix 2


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3.1 The concrete waterfront of the Anatolian side facing the Bosphorus has been reclaimed as pub-

lic space, used largely for cafes

3.2 The Anatolian side of Istanbul is sll largely undervalued as a CBD.

Appendix 3


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4.1 Wooden Ooman architecture is being rapidly lost in many historic areas, such as the Zeyrek

distrist (pictured above, photo courtesy of www.scoprireistanbul.com

4.2 In the tourist areas near the main historic

monuments, some wooden architecture has

been restored or recreated.

Appendix 4

ld urbancon planningcasestudy

Documents