A Criticism on Historic Preservation in Süleymaniye Neighbourhood, Istanbul

Abstract

All kinds of qualitative and quantitative products, which are designed and created by people during historical periods, provide production of urban history and city’s character. People, who live in together in the same place, always depend and protect the area where they live. This depending and protection point us belonging to the living place. All kinds of social and physical regulations have contributed to the formation of today's urban history. Throughout history, Istanbul has hosted to different cultures and emperors, which are Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires. It has a strong historical background. In a city, which is important like Istanbul, the most important and difficult thing is protection and preserving of historical and cultural urban systems. The most known icon of Istanbul, Historical Peninsula has rapidly being lost its natural and cultural beauties, had some deteriorations. Actually, the main reason of this deterioration is a growth and rapid urbanization in Turkey. Despite the fact that there is an increasing population of Istanbul, Historic Peninsula’s night population has been decreasing. Due to its touristic potential, this area’s night and day populations differ from each other. It is obvious that the place is being turned into a touristic, manufacturing and service sectors main location rather than a housing area. At most, the change has been felt in Süleymaniye. In the past times, Süleymaniye was the most preferred quarter by ottoman elites and high income groups but nowadays, there is a bad pressure and threat to the housing function from the manufacturing function. Leaving from the housing area caused the increasing quest for renters (tenants). The new dwellers are general workers who came from the east part of Turkey and they don't feel socially or physically connected to the place, they only need a house for sleeping and basic activities. So the area has increased criminal events. The security issue costs the life in this neighbourhood, which has started to be more introverted; the concept of the neighbourhood from Turkish culture is losing its character. In addition to the changes in urban form, existing housing stock has been demolished and transformed to another building types like shops, stores etc. In this context, with the study all the transformations and deteriorations will be examined and some proposals, partial private and building scale strategies will be developed.