Republican period of IstanbulAfter the ending of days of invasion, Istanbul gained a new look with the declaration of the republic. Istanbul, which was a capital to three great empires, left this title to Ankara. The population which was around 850 thousand at the turn of the century, decreased to 700 thousand in the census of 1927.
While the efforts for westernization were shifted to Ankara particularly in cultural, political, economical, architectural, ideological respects, Istanbul was seriously neglected. And Istanbul, in its history of over two thousand years, started to be governed from the outside for the first time. Much less resources than it produced were allocated to the city, which continued to be the economical and commercial center.
In this period, no work was done with regards to urban planning. There were only changes which reflected the ideology of the fresh state; changing of the street names, allocation of buildings of Ottoman dynasty and empire for new functions, St.Sophia’s turning into a mosque, empire organizations being opened to service with new names and arrangements were the merely symbolically significant activities of the period.
The first practices regarding Istanbul’s urban planning started when Adnan Menderes, leader of Democratic Party, was in power. Social movements starting after 1950s and population burst resulting from this and on the other hand the modern city image harbored by Democratic Party executives resulted in a hectic architectural works in Istanbul. The roads which were launched to service in spite of the destruction of historical city structure extremely changed the fabric of the city.
Between 1950 and 1960, many main highways were open to public service and already active ones were expanded. When those roads were being opened to public service, thousands of buildings were demolished. Many historical sites were damaged. Many works of art were either transferred or destroyed. Also in this period major buildings were constructed which reflect the change in city’s architectural canvas such as the Municipality, Hilton Hotel and Divan Hotel.
Between the years 1950 – 1960, Istanbul did not undergo any notable urban planning activity until 1970s, after the urbanization works in Democratic Party period.
In 1973, Boshporus Bridge was opened to service. Boshporus Bridge with its surrounding passageways caused the emerging of new settlements and new fields of profitability in the neighborhood of the metropolis.
After 1980s, a second settlement plan was put into action though not as comprehensive as the first one. Clearance of Golden Horn from industrial institutions, the launch of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Bridge in 1988 as the second bridge over Boshporus, Tarlabaşı Boulevard, piled road in European side of Boshporus, the coast between Kadıköy and Bostancı’s being filled and turned into a highway, express tram, metro project between Taksim-Levent were the major issues of this plan. Also in these years, the migration to Istanbul increasingly gained pace. The city was surrounded by shanty towns and similar cheap cooperative houses.
1980s were the ones when industrial institutions were moved out of the city. Thanks to the popularization of natural gas network and meticulous controls in unqualified coal consumption, residents of Istanbul lived a winter of tranquility last year regarding air pollution. Also, the water supply problem, one of the most troubled issue of the city, was handled for the most part as a result of the employment of new facilities of water supply and new investments on water softening and its distribution. |
