URBANISM II

Istanbul – Creating a Location

12/04/2011
Emre Can Vural
 Introduction

- The world’s Megacities

- Geographical Location of Turkey
- Location of Istanbul
- Current Urban Situation
- History of Development in Istanbul
- Economy
- Investments
- Princess Islands
- Case study; Burgaz Ada
The World’s Megacities
Geographical Location of Turkey
Location of Istanbul
 Current Urban Situation
HOW?
 Istanbul

Istanbul
(Turkish: İstanbul, historically also known as Byzantium and Constantinople is the
largest city in Turkey and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of
13.8 million.
Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of
Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the
Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn,
in the northwest of the country.
It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the
Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two
continents.
 History of Development

The population of the metropolis more than tripled during the 25 years between 1980
and 2005. Roughly 70% of all Istanbulites live in the European section and around
30% in the Asian section. Due to high unemployment in the southeast of Turkey, many
people from that region migrated to Istanbul, where they established themselves in the
outskirts of the city.
Migrants, predominantly from eastern Anatolia arrive in Istanbul expecting improved
living conditions and employment, which usually end with little success. This results
each year with new ‘Gecekondus’ at the outskirts of the city, which are later developed
into neighbourhoods and integrated into the greater metropolis.
The city has a population of 11,372,613 residents according to the latest count as of
2007, and is one of the largest cities in the world today. The rate of population growth
in the city is currently at 3.45% a year on average, mainly due to the influx of people
from the surrounding rural areas. Istanbul's population density of 1,700 per square km
far exceeds Turkey's 81 people per square km.
 History of Development

The following overview shows the

numbers of inhabitants by year.
Population tallies up to 1914 are
estimated with variations of up to 50%
depending upon researcher. The numbers
from 1927 to 2000 are results of
censuses.
The numbers of 2005 and 2006 are based
on computer simulation forecasts. The
doubling of the population of Istanbul
between 1980 and 1985 is due to a
natural increase in population as well as
the expansion of municipal limits.
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Existing Buildings
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Illegal Housing
- Gecekondu (house put up
quickly without proper
permissions)
- Apartment Blocks
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Apartment Blocks
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Gated Communities
- Apartment Gated
Communities
- Villa Gated Communities
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Luxury Residences
- Skyscrapers
- Villas (Gated communities)
- Luxury Apartment Blocks
(Gated communities)
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Luxury Residences
- Skyscrapers
- Villas (Gated communities)
- Luxury Apartment Blocks
(Gated communities)
 History of Development

HOUSING TYPES;
Luxury Residences
- Skyscrapers
- Villas (Gated communities)
- Luxury Apartment Blocks
(Gated communities)
 History of Development

OFFICE BUILDINGS;
Old Office Buildings
 History of Development

OFFICE BUILDINGS;
New Office Buildings
- Office Blocks
- Skyscrapers
 History of Development

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS;
 History of Development

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS;
 Economy

During the 19th century and early 20th century, Bankalar Caddesi (Banks Street) in
Galata was the financial centre of the Ottoman Empire, where the headquarters of
the Ottoman Central Bank (established as the Bank-ı Osmanî in 1856, and later
reorganised as the Bank-ı Osmanî-i ahane in 1863) and the Ottoman Stock
Exchange (1866) were located. Bankalar Caddesi continued to be Istanbul's main
financial district until the 1990s, when most Turkish banks began moving their
headquarters to the modern central business districts of Levent and Maslak. In
1995, the Istanbul Stock Exchange moved to its current building in the İstinye
quarter.
 Economy

Apart from being the largest city and former political capital of the country, Istanbul
has always been the centre of Turkey's economic life because of its location as a
junction of international land and sea trade routes. Istanbul is also Turkey's largest
industrial centre. It employs approximately 20% of Turkey's industrial labour and
contributes 38% of Turkey's industrial workspace.
According to Forbes magazine, Istanbul had a total of 35 billionaires as of March
2008, ranking fourth in the world.

Today, the city generates 55% of Turkey's trade and 45% of the country's wholesale
trade, and generates 21.2% of Turkey's gross national product. Istanbul
contributes 40% of all taxes collected in Turkey and produces 27.5% of Turkey's
national product. In 2005 the City of Istanbul had a GDP of $133 billion. In 2005
companies based in Istanbul made exports worth $41,397,000,000 and imports
worth $69,883,000,000; which corresponded to 56.6% and 60.2% of Turkey's
exports and imports, respectively, in that year.
 Economy

Result of Economic Growth..

KANYON SHOPPING MALL
Investments
Location: Kanyon is a multi-purpose complex
located at Büyükdere Avenue Nr. 185 in the Levent
financial district of Istanbul, Turkey.
General Information: Opened on 6 June 2006, it
unites a 160-store shopping mall, a 30-floor office
tower and a 22-floor residential block with 179
residential apartments into a complex undulating
around a dramatic architectural “canyon”.
The total construction area of the project is 250,000
m2, with 30,000 m2 of rentable office area, 37,500
m2 of rentable retail area, 180 residential flats, 160
stores, 9 theater halls with a capacity of 1,600
spectators, and a parking facility for 2,300 vehicles.
Development: Kanyon is a joint venture of the
Eczacıbaşı Group and İPGYO of Turkey. It was
designed by The Jerde Partnership of Los Angeles,
USA, who collaborated with Tabanlıoğlu Architect of
Istanbul, Turkey, for developing the project.
Investments
Investments
Investments
TRUMP TOWER ISTANBUL
Investments
Location: Trump Towers Istanbul are two conjoined
towers in Pişli, Istanbul, Turkey.
General Information: One of the towers is an office
tower, and the other a residential tower, consisting of
over 200 residences. They are the first Trump Towers
in Europe.
Development: Trump Towers are designed by Brigitte
Weber Architects based in Nisantasi, Istanbul, for
Tasyapi Construction, a major Istanbul-based
construction and contracting company.
Investments
Investments
ISTINYE PARK
Investments
Location: Istinye Park is a shopping center in the İstinye
quarter of Istanbul, Turkey with 291 stores, 85,250 sqm
of retail area, and four levels of underground parking.
General Information: The center features both enclosed
and open air sections. The open air section has a green
central park and offers street side shopping. The center
includes an authentic Turkish food bazaar- a traditional
market place, inspired by Turkish architecture and
history.
Development: The project designer is Development
Design Group Inc., based in Baltimore. The design
period -from conceptual, schematic, to development-
lasted for about a year. Ömerler Mimarlik, based in
Istanbul, drafted construction drawings and handled
implementation. The construction period went on for 26
months- from the first lay of foundation until the grand
opening. From the first sketch to the completion of the
project, it took (2004-2007) 3 years in total.
Investments
Investments
Investments
SAPPHIRE TOWER
Investments
Location: Istanbul Sapphire, is a skyscraper, and tallest
building of Istanbul's Levent main business district and
the second tallest building in Istanbul and Turkey
General Information: It is the country's first ecological
skyscraper. Sapphire rises 54 floors above ground level
having an above-ground roof height of 238 meters (and
a structural height of 261 meters including its spire,
which is part of the design and not a radio antenna, and
is therefore counted as a part of the overall structural
height of the building.)
Development: Sapphire Istanbul is the luxury residence
project of Biskon Construction (a subsidiary of the Kiler
group of companies). Istanbul Sapphire has been
designed by Tabanlıoğlu Architecture as a high-tech
structure that consists of 64 floors (54 above-ground
and 10 basement floors), communal living floors,
extensive parking spaces, a large shopping mall, and 47
floors for residences.
Investments
Investments
VARYAP MERIDIAN
Investments
Location: Located in the Atasehir district of Istanbul
which the Turkish government intends to transform into
the country’s new financial district and business centre.
General Information: The development has been
commissioned by Turkish real estate development
company VARYAP, part of Varlibas Group
International. It includes a 60-storey tower, 1,500
residential units, a five-star hotel, offices and
conference facilities with landscaped public areas and
parking facilities.
Active ‘green’ design features include rainwater
collection sites and facilities to optimise water usage
and reduce energy consumption, wind turbine
technology, cooling water pools that enhance the
external landscape and a co-generation plant that will
produce electricity for the development. The unique
context and culture of Istanbul is incorporated into the
design including a spectral tiled facade, ranging from
terracotta to blue to white.
Development: The luxury 372,000 sq m development
– being designed by RMJM’s New York and Istanbul
studios.
Investments
Investments
Investments
 Princess Islands

Turkish: Prens Adaları are a chain of nine islands off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in
the Sea of Marmara.

They consist of four larger islands;

- Büyükada (meaning "Large Island") with an area of 5.46 km2
- Heybeliada (meaning "Saddlebag Island") with an area of 2.4 km2
- Burgazada with an area of 1.5 km2
- Kınalıada (meaning "Henna Island") with an area of 1.3 km2
and five much smaller ones;
- Sedef Adası (meaning "Mother-of-Pearl Island") with an area of 0.157 km2
- Yassıada (meaning "Flat Island") with an area of 0.05 km2
- Sivriada (meaning "Sharp Island") with an area of 0.05 km2
- Kaşık Island (meaning "Spoon Island") with an area of 0.006 km2
- Tavşanadası (meaning "Rabbit Island") with an area of 0.004 km2

The islands also constitute the Adalar District ("Island district") of Istanbul Province.
The mayor is Mustafa Farsakoğlu (CHP).
Princess Islands
 Princess Islands

Regular or fast passenger ferries operate to the

four of these islands from different parts of
the city; from Bostanci, Kadikoy and Kartal
neighborhoods on the Asian side, from
Sirkeci and Kabatas neighborhoods on the
European side.
The name of the islands comes from the
Byzantine period, when royal princes and
empresses were exiled there. With the
intruduction of steamboats during the late
Ottoman period around the 19th century,
these islands became popular resorts for the
rich people who built their wooden houses.
Jewish, Greek and Armenian communities
were a large part of the inhabitants here.
Today, the islands are popular tourist
destinations for daily excursions especially in
the summer time. There are many
monasteries and historic buildings on the
islands, besides 19th century Victorian style
old wooden mansions.
Case Study..
Burgazada
 Burgazada

Burgazada, third largest of the Princess Islands, was known as Panormos during the
Hellenistic period. Today, it's famous for the house of Sait Faik Abasiyanik, a Turkish
story writer from the beginning of 20th century, who lived here. His house is now
converted into a museum. Kalpazan Kaya is a place where he used to visit often with
a cafeteria offering great views of the sunset.
There are some churches and monasteries from the Byzantines, such as Hagia
Ioannes Prodromos (Aya Yani) church, Christos Metamorfosis Monastery, and Hagia
Gheorghios (Aya Yorgi) Church and Monastery. There is a nice sailing and water
sports club and many beaches. Burgazada was covered with pine forests but in 2003
most of it was destroyed by a big fire unfortunately.
Demetrius I of Macedon, one of the Diadochi (Successors) of Alexander the Great,
built a fort here and named it after his father Antigonus I Monophthalmus. The island
took this name, but is generally known by the Turks today as simply Burgaz.
 Burgazada

The forest which covered the island fell into ruin after the conflagration of 2003. In
active collaboration with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and other organizations,
the island has begun replantation efforts in recent years which have gradually begun to
work.
Location of Burgaz Ada in Urban Scale
 Burgazada
Burgazada Map
- Urban space
- Green areas
- Popular pedestrian
routes
 Burgazada

Creating a Location;
 Burgazada

Creating a Location;
 Burgazada

Creating a Location;
 Burgazada

Creating a Location;
THANK YOU0