The New Conditions of New Turkey’s Old Academics: “We Did Not Know You Like That” / Haydar Karabey

The author states that the construction industry, as practiced in our country, is a rent and power generating system that uses public-owned precious entities like space, urban plots and natural grounds as its main capital. By criticizing the controversial cases surrounding questionable decisions of governments and investors that were legitimized by receiving favorable opinions from academics of their choice, Karabey also draws attention to the problems created by reward programs awarding these debated projects. 

COMMEMORATION: MARUF ÖNAL

Maruf Önal and the Institutionalization of Architecture: Architectural Practice . Unionization . Education

Within the scope of the Commemoration Program of the Chamber of Architects, aiming to highlight works and professional contributions of the leading architects, Maruf Önal was selected for the period of 2016-2018 as the main figure for a comprehensive research.  The resulting work will be shared with the public through various events. This is an open call for contributions that may include original work to be published in the forthcoming issues of Mimarlık.

AGENDA

Covetous Looks on the Park of Kültürpark / H. İbrahim Alpaslan

İzmir Kültürpark area, one of the rare urban parks situated in a city center in Turkey, is under threat of a certain building program. The municipality has announced the future project with various advertising activities. Referring to the counter campaigns conducted by many non-governmental organizations in the city, the author emphasizes that the citizens will not own projects unless their opinions are included in the process.

Who will win and who will lose after the changes in the Urban Transformation Law? / Asuman Türkün

The approved changes in the Law no. 6306, known as the Urban Transformation Law, and the related implementation regulations were advocated by the authorities as preventing several factors that 'force the investors' and thus 'slow down' the projects. Yet the real intention, as claimed by the author, seems to increase the multitude of urban land appropriate for urban transformation projects. This, in turn, will increase the victimization due to the inadequacies in the urban infrastructure mainly caused by the increase in density.  

Rising in the Area of the Directorate of Meteorology and ‘Looking from the Hill’ to Kadıköy / Saltuk Yüceer

There is a debate against the residential project using the privileged construction rights reserved for the site owned by the Directorate of Meteorology in Göztepe. The case started in 2004 and continues today despite the completion of the construction phase. In the past months, the Kadıköy Municipality was ordered to pay fines to the project-holding company for the resultant damages due to "the construction activities stopped by illegal and arbitrary actions.” Following the case closely, the author emphasizes that the legal battle against the loss of potential green areas should be continued. Also, we need to work towards keeping up the standard of green space per person.

In the aftermath of a Fire / Sedat Altındaş

It is possible to reduce the fires and avoid the damage that are usually considered as inevitable disasters. The recent fire that broke out at a girls’ dormitory and caused several lives, and the claimed negligence of different actors in this disaster brought many questions to our minds. The author examines what needs to be revised in the fire regulations and highlights the importance of the licensing and supervision stages that were usually underestimated as mundane "bureaucratic processes."

EVENT

After Habitat III / Ayşe Ege Yıldırım

The state-weighted participation of Turkey in Habitat III, which took place after twenty years of work, has resulted with a national report that has been prepared by the Ministry without considering public involvement. Following the discussions in place, the author states that the only solution is to resolve the tension between the civil organizations inclined to negative criticism as they feel weak, helpless and are left alone; and the government bureaucrats who are angry at making experts "mentor" their job and who think that their service efforts are not appreciated. 

Issues following the ICOMOS General Assembly

ICOMOS General Assembly and Advisory Board meetings and the Scientific Symposium were held in Istanbul on 15-21 October 2016, hosted by the National Committee functioning in the field of cultural heritage protection since 1974. The review of the sessions – all videos are available online – mainly focuses on the working schemes of the organization and the achievements of this year’s meeting.  

No Return in the Fight against Climate Change / Arif Cem Gündoğan, Ethemcan Turhan

The climatic summit in Marrakech, Morocco, ended without being overshadowed by the US elections which corresponded to the first week of the event. The progress was limited, the corridors were moderate, but the message was clear: there is no turning back in the struggle with climate change. The timing and level of assertion will be determined in the following events.

A "Fog Cane" in Istanbul: Are We Human? / Yağmur Yıldırım

The 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial, with an aim to rethink the history of design since the beginning of human existence, was held in five different venues between October 22 and November 20, 2016. The author, taking a break from our rapidly changing agendas, evaluates the biennial theme that encourages us to look back over two hundred thousand years, and further indicates that the event has triggered the creative dynamics of the city.

FILE: The Future Is Not What It Used to Be in Istanbul as a Palimpsest City

File Editor: Hülya Turgut, Esra Akbalık

Among other world cities always connected within a complex network system and continually interacting with each other, Istanbul is yet another "palimpsest" city that is being transferred to the future with new layers added side by side, at the top of each other or intertwined with each other. This file includes awarded articles on this theme in the essay competition organized by the Academic Program within the framework of İKSV 2nd International Istanbul Design Biennial. Duygu Yarımbaş in her article titled "Experiencing the City by Walking: Communication Elements" considers visual communication elements such as signs, plates and street names as important sources contributing to the palimpsest character of the city and contributing to the urban perception of the walker as a flaneur. Tuba Özkan and Emre Özdemir, in their article entitled “An Uncanny ‘Terrain Vague’:  Yedikule Gasometer Complex”, reads the city as a palimpsest indirectly defined through social memory. In "Reviewing Istanbul’s Urban Structure Through A Local Retail Shop: Neco Kornet Ice Cream Shop” Zeynep Tarçın Turgay predicts that her work on small-scale urban public / semi-public spaces will contribute to the critical approaches analyzing the city and today’s urban activities.

ARCHITECTURE OF CRISIS

On the ‘Ethos’ of a Refugee Camp / Ömer Faruk Günenç, Sıtkı Karadeniz

Refugee camps, shaped as a temporary solution to the crisis, but often became permanent building stock in the aftermath, are settlements with similar forms, functions and organizations, even if situated in different geographical regions. By providing personal impressions from three different camps in Amman, the author indicates the certain characteristics of the camps, “ethos” in other words, and argues that these camps are used as a means to create "new urbanites.”

COMPETITIONS

İzmir Selçuk Municipality Cultural and Youth Center Architectural Project Competition

İzmir Selçuk Municipality organized an architectural competition to develop the cultural identity, in addition to the current historical identity of the city; to encourage the youth to get to know the city and create a sense of belonging; and to build a modern building where young people can spend quality time. The competition visualized the new Cultural and Youth Center as a reflection of the entire history of the city. 299 specifications were taken, among 262 projects submitted to the competition 3 awards and 5 honorable mentions were distributed.

Aydın Efeler Municipality Building Architectural Project Competition

With a vision to create a local service building that reflects a modern, democratic, participatory and transparent municipality understanding, Aydın Efeler Municipality organized an architectural competition that has been recently finalized. Free, national and single-staged competition has required projects establishing a node on the administrative and public life of the city and also contributing to city life through an integrated relationship with the immediate surroundings. Among 68 projects submitted to the competition 3 awards and 5 honorable mentions were distributed.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Transforming into "Modern" / Transforming "Modern": From Banana Depot to "Tent in the Park" London Design Museum / Funda Uz

The Commonwealth Institute, which has long been in disuse in Kensington, London's museum neighborhood, opened its doors on November 24th as the new address of the Design Museum. Reporting from the opening event, the author states that the transformed version of the building moved away from modernism's minimalist attitude, yet instead turns out to have a comprehensive approach in order to take in as much as possible. 

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIALS

Advanced Building Production with Industrial Wood Products in the Beginning of 2000s / Erkan Avlar, Semih Serkan Ustaoğlu

Wood, the least energy-consuming building material in our country, has begun to be used in large-span and multi-storey buildings following the developments in the industrial production technologies. Analyzing four case studies using this technology, whose examples are very limited in our country, the authors argues that wood, the so-called "concrete of the 21st century," will spread considerably fast in the near future. 

CONTACT

One Wall Changes, One Space Changes / Melda Aydan

Splash is a good example of how the need, the potential and the problem shape the particular design. Manuel Ocana and his team solved the problem of the unhappy user complaining about the wall rising on the neighboring plot in Madrid by keeping the wall alive through mirrors, rather than hiding it or painting it.