Burial Site in Kayabaşı, Istanbul

Abstract

Today, Istanbul’s urban spatial structure has been dominated by three phenomena: informal housing, uncoordinated and uncontrolled urban intensification, and mass housing projects. It stands out particularly in the case of Kayabaşı neighborhood located on Istanbul’s Western periphery. Rigid, orthogonal layout of each group of blocks gives a dose of abstraction to the spaces in between them. Disregarded, considered boring and unsightly, generic buildings of this type are now proliferating the whole country, taking on residential, industrial and commercial functions, trying to keep up with the fast pace of economic growth. The feature that links them, muteness, is defined by me as ‘a state of being unable or not willing to speak, express or represent in a particular context’ (does not equal emptiness).
Project investigates the alternative scenarios of the peripheral spaces of Istanbul and potentials of erasing visual pleasure and lack of communication between the building and an observer, through theoretical approach and in-depth analysis of the subjective observations.
The research conducted during my graduation along with the project resulting from it aims to challenge existing aesthetic categories and shed light on a topic which is neglected by contemporary architectural practice. Hopefully, it will contribute to appreciation or at least stronger focus on the mute and introverted built objects , as they are already very present not only in Turkey and start to cover more and more land areas.