Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (TR)Company
Istanbul's urban change raises questions on planning, management (TR)
Tuesday 13 July 2010
The opinions of residents in areas where urban transformation projects are planned should be taken into account to a reasonable degree and a democratic evaluation process should be applied just as in the West, according to an advisor to Istanbul’s mayor.
Professor Ýbrahim Baz, an adviser to Kadir Topbaþ, mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, advocated for the participation of local residents in urban transformation projects at a conference on the subject Monday. Baz gained support from experts in attendance at the 14th International Planning History Society Conference, or IPHS, sponsored by Istanbul Technical University.

Mistakes made in the past during construction of unplanned settlements created major problems for Istanbul, but with the actualization of successful planning projects and the restoration of architectural sites, “We can redefine the identity of Istanbul,” Baz said, adding that by working with 14 research groups including 400 architects, academics and engineers, the metropolitan municipality aims to elevate Istanbul to a higher level among world metropolises.

Baz said the financial development of Istanbul is also among the municipality’s near-future goals. The municipality plans to construct high-tech business parks in the Tuzla and Silivri districts and has already begun renovating existing industrial zones. The risk of earthquakes compels municipal authorities to consider the urban transformation problem carefully. Since 1999 the municipality has completed crucial projects in coordination with Istanbul Technical University with the aim of detecting hazardous areas and preparing earthquake maps, said Baz, adding that the municipality is particularly concerned with the shanty buildings that might cost 300,000 residents their lives in an earthquake.

In addition, Istanbul’s Süleymaniye district, a designated UNESCO World Heritage zone, is under risk due to the deterioration and bad conditions of Ottoman wooden houses, said Mehmet Gürkan, the vice secretary-general of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture agency. The Protection, Application and Investigation Bureau, or KUDEB, tries to support homeowners by distributing wood and related materials to help refurbish the houses. A management plan will be implemented through the contributions of the agency in the future, said Gürkan. The approved funding for the restoration of the Rami Barracks library building in Eyup is one example of financial support to a local project about to be completed, said Gürkan.

The conference, entitled “The Urban Transformation: Controversies, Contrasts and Challenges” and hosting 40 participants from 42 countries, emphasizes the social responsibilities of global and local authorities to facilitate the exchange of ideas, as well as encourages a synthesis of diversity that aims to improve international dialogue. The conference is being held from Monday to Thursday at the Cemal Reþit Rey Conference Hall in Istanbul.

Celebrating Istanbul’s status as a European capital of culture for 2010, the conference will cover themes such as urban transformation in the history of planning; heritage sites and their urban transformation; urban management and governance; the political economy of urban transformation; social inclusion; gentrification; urban poverty; and transportation and infrastructure

Source: Hurriyet
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