ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN ASSEMBLIES

The Third Meeting Took Place in Mersin, under the Theme “Immigration, Shelter and Architecture” Reviewed by Derin İnan

The third meeting of “Towards an Architectural Policy for Turkey”: Architecture and Urban Assemblies took place in Mersin from 13 to 14 January, 2006. In all presentations and discussion sessions, problems of the city and the region in general were discussed through the selected theme “Immigration, Shelter and Architecture”. While the presentations gave theoretical background information as well as practical examples on the issue of immigration in Mersin and its effects on the urban fabric, discussion sessions provided a platform for people to question possible strategies to cope with this urban reality, specifically in case of Mersin.

EVENTS

To Look at the “Europe’s Largest City” from Weimar: Impressions on “Public Istanbul” Conference / Kıvanç Kılınç

“Public Istanbul: Spaces and Spheres of the City” Conference took place between 19-20 January 2007 in Bauhaus University in Weimar with a crowded academic contribution from Turkish universities such as, Middle East Technical University, Bilgi, Yildiz, Çankaya and Başkent Universities as well as with the attendance of Turkish and German colleagues that perform research in different countries abroad such as Netherlands, Sweden and various cities from the States. Among various theoretical and academic presentations, there was also the presentation of Murat Diren, representative of the Istanbul Municipality Metropolitan Planning and Urban Design Center, who provided insight information to the recent practices and projects carried out by the center within the city. Discussing Istanbul from Weimar was a possibility to monitor Istanbul from outside and through different perspectives while providing an intellectual platform for questioning conceptual dilemmas and confusions on the issue of modernization in Turkey and its theoretical background that is being discussed for many years.

Istanbul Panoramas from the Brush of Amadeo Preziosi / Reviewed by Derin İnan

The exhibition of the orientalist painter Amadeo Preziosi, consisting of his early 19th century Istanbul paintings which envision the daily life and the people within the city, opened to public view from 13th January to 25th February, 2007 in Yapı Kredi Kâzım Taşkent Art Gallery. Towards the end of the century the art of Preziosi had played a major role in acquainting the western world with the Ottoman art as well as providing a perception to the way of life and traditions of the Ottoman society of the times. The exhibition and its catalogue was a significant attempt to bring so many of Preziosi’s paintings together, where as the text written by Zeynep İnankur in the catalogue shed light to the interesting life of the painter in Istanbul.

ARCHITECTURAL POLICY

Towards an Architectural Policy for Turkey

In its tries to achieve a better quality in the built environment, and to attain a public awareness to the issue, the Chamber of Architects, has started to work on formalizing an architectural policy for Turkey and to present the principles of this policy in a text format, for a long time. In various meetings with crowded participation, it is tried to remember the past experiences on the issue and to discuss how contemporary matters can be reflected within the text. It was of great importance to be aware of the international context of the issue as well as being able to follow recent changes in the international realms in order to achieve a text, which will as much be responsive to intrinsic qualities of Turkey, as it will receive acceptance in international platforms.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PERIOD

A Call for “The Project of Documenting, Preserving and Evaluating the Architectural Heritage of the Republican Period”/ Section Editor: Emel Kayın

The Chamber of Architects of Turkey had started a project for documenting, preserving and evaluating the architectural heritage of the Republican Period, in order to be able to provide awareness to architectural products of the late generation and to create a platform, where these works can be discussed and evaluated. In order to draw public attention to the issue and to increase the amount of publications in the field, our magazine has decided to provide a special section in every issue for publishing articles related with the theme. The section will include the articles setting their subject to theoretical aspects of conservation as well as the ones, which provide information and analysis on the build examples. Since documenting the very evident works is as much important as bringing to light the unknown, the series will try to create a consciousness towards the historical potentials that many buildings may have and to create a strong objection towards the destruction of the architectural heritage.

FILE: CITIES AND SQUARES Editor: Neslihan Türkün Dostoğlu

The file focuses on one of the fundamental aspects of urban life, city squares. Squares, by means of different functions they bear each time have always been the prior public spaces within the city from very early times. In constant fabric of the city, the squares, as opposed to the continuous and even directional rhythm of city life, provide an opportunity to stop and gather, without stressing any obligatory motion and therefore easily become places suitable for people to meet and interact. Even though the streets have started to be considered as the places of social and public interaction in contemporary urban discourse, they actually differ from the concept of squares by means of their dynamic spatial qualities, which is directed by constant movement and circulation. Whether analyzed under these concerns, it is obvious that city squares contribute to strengthen the quality of urban life, as long as they answer the physical, social and economic needs of citizens. In order to read the qualities of an urban space, it won’t be enough to analyze it only through its architectural or urban features but through its social, economic and politic contexts.

The articles in the file, which is edited by Neslihan Dostoğlu, tried to review the issue with similar concerns, yet with different examples. The first article, “People, Cities and Squares”, the article of Gürhan Tümer, provides a historical survey to the concept of city squares, their genuine relations with the cities they are part of, and to the interesting events they have became part of. The article of Derya Oktay, “Urban Identity and Vigour: Analysing a City Square in Northern Cyprus”, tries to argue the conceptual frame of the city squares by means of the urban identity and urban vigour they provide to the cities in general all over the world. Furthermore she tries to test her approaches through analysing the Namık Kemal Square in Northern Cyprus. Neşe Yeşilkaya, analyses the development of Beyazıt Square and tries to trace the attempts in designing various urban spaces and their qualities in modernisation progress of the country towards the end of 19th century. Rengin Zengel’s article “A Transformed Square: An Analytical Approach towards Izmir Konak Square” provides a historical survey on the evolution of Konak Square from early Republican periods to today. The last article of the file focuses on another case, Osmangazi Square in Bursa. The article of Ece Şahin, “An Analysis in Designating the Users’ Expectations in City Squares: Bursa Orhangazi Square” examines different scales of public use in urban squares.

URBAN AESTHETICS

On “Environment, Urban and Architecture” in Turkish Congress of Aesthetics / Jale Erzen, C. Abdi Güzer, Çağatay Keskinok

The 1st Turkish Congress of Aesthetics, organized by SANART Association was held in November 22-24, 2007 with a theme “Aesthetic Practices and Discourse”. The main aim of the Congress was to create an occasion for collecting local contributions as a preparation for the forthcoming event; XVII. International Congress of Aesthetics, to be held in the Middle East Technical University, in 9-13 July 2007. The authors Jale Erzen, Abdi Güzer and Çağatay Keskinok review the issues related with environmental, urban and architectural aesthetics. The Chamber, as an official supporter of the congress, will encourage publishing the work that is being produced in these congresses.

HOUSING

A Critical Approach to Construction, Architecture and Planning in Northern Cyprus after Annan Plan / Şebnem Önal Hoşkara, Ercan Hoşkara

Annan Plan that was put forward by United Nations in order to bring out an extensive solution package to the problems of Cyprus, has started to be discussed from the year 2001 onwards. Even though the plan was rejected by the Greek Cypriots and therefore didn’t gain a wider legitimacy, it was a project of UN and therefore was welcomed in international platforms. Decisions taken in the light of this plan soon affected the development and construction in Northern Cyprus to a great extent. The authors give a detailed analysis on the growth in the field of construction in Northern Cyprus, its affects on dwelling policies, which also have direct influences in the formation of urban and architectural environments. The article puts forward a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the Annan Plan to the field of construction in the housing scale .

URBAN DESIGN

Quality in the Design of Urban Parks / Firdevs Gökçen Yücel

Citizens living in the rush of daily life and condensed urban conditions had to accept the environmental conditions that the city provides everyday. The need for a certain quality and high living standards in urban environments has become a significant feature of Turkish cities especially in the 21st century. Both the users and the administrators have become aware of the important role of green space within the cities in enriching the quality of urban environments. As much as the design of urban parks and green areas are believed to belong to the scope of landscape designers, it is an important topic also for urban designers and planners. The writer analyses the social, educational, environmental and economic aspects and benefits of urban parks in raising the quality of urban life.

MEA ARCHITECTURA MEA CULPA

The Picture of Harem Plan / Gürhan Tümer

“[…] While observing the plan of the Harem it is possible to get deceived by other thoughts, where the lines and colours of the plan become an art work, a painting or a pattern of a carpet rather than merely an architectural drawing […]”