An Interstitial Reading of Istanbul

Abstract

As palimpsests of multiple layers of historic, geo-political, and socioeconomic complexity, contemporary cities demand innovative methodsof deciphering and unraveling their development. Typically referred toas reading the city, these methods of delayering and synthesizing urbancomplexity have, for long, pre-occupied urban planners anddecisionmakers. Drawing from its interdisciplinary literature, this paperexplores a comprehensive model of reading the city. Using a qualitativeapproach from both the archival and visual data sources, this studyprovides a better understanding of complex layers of urbanism thatguide urban planners, policy makers and decisionmakers in developingmore convenient solutions to urban problems. With multiple layers of itsurbanism, Istanbul makes a suitable case study for this purpose.Identifying three types of developments (controlled or top-down,partially controlled and outlawed, bottom-up), different interactivenetworks provide sufficient grounds for reading Istanbul. Reading theseintricate layers of Istanbul’s ‘closed’ and ‘open’ city (Sennett, 2017) inclose proximity to a main transportation artery (D 100 highway) againstthe broader backdrop of its long history intertwined with geographicand socioeconomic push and pull forces provides a comprehensive toolfor adopting similar methods for reading other cities.