Istanbul has been going through an undeniable transformation. The seven hills the city was built on are no longer high enough to protect their legacy. They are shadowed by the high-rises sprouting out of the hilltops with their crisp marble structures.
The sky and the currents of the Bosphorus are no longer colored with the white of the Moon but also with the pinks, yellows, greens and blues of mesmerizing rooftop light shows. From corporate offices to hotels, shopping malls and private residence complexes, the city is bombarded with the undeniable fashions of metropolitan living. The historic, carefully crafted buildings make way to rapid, sharp and plain modern towers.
Spacious living spaces with high ceilings pass their legacy onto the smart compact studio apartments. Just like all the other social capitals around the world, Istanbul welcomes this modern change with great appreciation. With all this rapid change, one begins to wonder if we should have paused a second to digest all we have eaten so far? On the fast lane to modernization, has the city of seven hills been running too fast to catch up and forgetting what it might be leaving behind?
Istanbul has always been a great host to the ancient and the modern. It has been able to preserve and innovate in harmony. I have always appreciated that character. The Byzantine structures welcomed the Ottoman architecture, just like the Ottoman welcomed the modern Turkish. I believe this will always be the case. Yet, I can not help, but wonder if the new structures the city is bombarded with, capture the true essence of this ancient city, which has so much vision, history and culture to offer. It is true that most of the new developments take place around the “modern” neighborhoods of the city such as Etiler and Maslak, but in any case the modern has a lot to take from the ancient and use it to revitalize one of the most sophisticated and intelligent cultures in the world, ridden with the innovation of the Romans, Arabs, Russians, Ottomans and Turks.
The recent boom in luxurious “eat, enjoy, entertain and shop where you live” complexes have been playing a major role in shaping Istanbul’s new look.
Akmerkez, Metocity, Suzer Plaza, Kanyon, Levent Loft, Sapphire, Istinye Park, Trump Tower, Kempinski Towers, Mashattan and the soon-to-be completed Zorlu Center are sprinkled all around the city with their massive complexes including individual shopping malls, sports centers and office towers.
Multiple architecture firms have been hired to construct these modern marvels with their multiple design and ecology awards. Millions of dollars have been spent to lay them on the ground. Nobody can deny the merit of having their global publicity and their contribution to the city’s entertainment. Yet, it is also hard to deny their contrast with the long-lasting landmarks of a city that has been around for centuries. Unlike the previous residential complexes, these new massive structures are visible from almost every angle and make a significant impact on Istanbul’s silhouette. It is a privilege to have them, but it is also necessary to somehow rework them into the mystical and historical aspect of the city.
A few examples which have successfully crafted this detail are the Macka Palace, Istanbul Modern, Pera Museum, the building of the Nu Pera bar & restaurant, the new W Hotel and the Four Seasons.
Having lived in New York for a few years, I am able to see the residuals of the transfromation happening currently in Istanbul. Generic luxury residential towers popped out from every corner of the city until the time came when the majority of the residents decided to rework/renovate the ancient landmarks, such as the lofts in SoHo and the shops in the Meatpacking district and started to choose them as their new modern home. Similar amounts of capital were spent to reenergize the original. I believe this will and should also be the case for Istanbul when enough infrastructure will be applied to revitalize the ancient neigborhoods of the city such as Beyoglu and Karakoy. I hope until then these massive modern complexes we come to love so much will have enough identity to preserve the uniqueness of a city filled with culture and history.
