Changes, Losses, and Challenges on Transformation of the Urban Place: A Narrative on Istiklal Street, Istanbul from the 1900s Until Today

Abstract Over the years, the socio-cultural structures, architectural compositions of Istanbul have changed gradually. Unavoidably, Istanbul's urban places have been affected as they have gained new faces through the wrong-driven, top-down, controversial changing processes. Especially since the 1990s, the changes have gained momentum, many controversial modifications have occurred in the heart of Istanbul. Istiklal Street has turned into a symbol of the transformation that Istanbul has been going through. The process brought about the rapid disintegration of the Street's unique, hybrid constitutions and distinctive qualifications. Nearly all the characteristic landmarks that made Istiklal Street special have disappeared one by one and the area is converting into a place that has lost its spirit. To understand how the Street has shaped historically and what has lied at the behind stages, the study begins with a qualitative discussion on the formation of the area since the 1900s. But the focus of the narrative is based on the period from 1990 until today with an explanatory approach to criticise by which mechanisms and actions the area transformed and come today. The study stresses that the potentials of the urban probabilities, socio-spatial compositions, tangible and intangible features are responsible for the future of this place.

摘要 多年来，伊斯坦布尔的社会文化结构与建筑风貌逐步发生变迁。伊斯坦布尔的城市空间不可避免地受到影响，在错误导向、自上而下且充满争议的改造进程中换上了全新面貌。尤其是自20世纪90年代以来，变迁进程显著加速，伊斯坦布尔市中心出现了诸多颇具争议的改造举措。独立大街（Istiklal Street）已成为伊斯坦布尔当前转型进程的标志性符号，这一改造进程导致该街道独特的混合性空间构成与鲜明特质迅速瓦解。几乎所有赋予独立大街独特性的标志性地标逐一消失，这片区域正逐渐沦为丧失精神内核的城市空间。为厘清该街道的历史塑造路径与背后的深层动因，本研究首先对20世纪以来该区域的形成过程展开质性探讨。本研究的叙事核心聚焦1990年至今的时段，通过阐释性分析剖析推动该区域走向当前状态的各类机制与行动，并对其进行批判审视。本研究强调，城市发展潜能、社会空间构成以及有形与无形的空间特质，将共同决定这片区域的未来走向。