Ceylan Irem Gencer | Yildiz Technical University (original) (raw)

Papers by Ceylan Irem Gencer

International Journal of Islamic Architecture, 2023

Turkish architect Mualla Eyüboğlu’s career started at the Village Institutes, which were establis... more Turkish architect Mualla Eyüboğlu’s career started at the Village Institutes, which were established in the early Republican period (1923–present) to meet Anatolian villages’ needs for modern educational development through hands-on training. As the head and instructor of the Construction Section in the Hasanoğlan Village Institute in 1942, Eyüboğlu worked all over Anatolia, thereby taking part in the construction of modern Turkey. Eyüboğlu’s role as a tutor, designer, and construction supervisor at these Village Institutes was closely linked to broader discussions of national architecture. Since records on this period’s construction processes are rare, this article considers Eyüboğlu’s pedagogical practice, vernacular approach, and criticism of national architecture in the 1940s through the use of Eyüboğlu’s diaries, professional and personal notes, and original drawings from her personal archive. We argue that, despite her position within the Turkish architectural intelligentsia, Eyüboğlu’s experiences with the difficult realities of rural sites led her to question formal training. She did this through her criticism of contemporary architectural and construction practices, which she felt were detached from the concerns and conditions of the villages. Through a hands-on approach to the construction of the Village Institutes, Eyüboğlu believed that national architecture could embrace the needs of people within their geographical and social contexts, as well as regional technological possibilities.

International Journal of Islamic Architecture, 2023

Journal of Architectural Conservation, 2023

This article focuses on the Chamber of Crown Princes (Veliaht Dairesi) located in the residential... more This article focuses on the Chamber of Crown Princes (Veliaht Dairesi) located in the residential part (Harem) of the Topkapı Palace, the Ottoman imperial seat in Istanbul (Turkey), where the removal of later additions was discussed during its restoration in the 1960s. Based on the archival documents of Mualla Eyüboğlu, the architect responsible for the restoration of the Topkapı Palace between 1961 and 1969, and the resolutions of the High Board of Antiquities and Monuments, this study reveals a stimulating debate on the balancing of the preservation of historic document value versus aesthetic value. Ambitious to present the building in its original function and use of the space as a part of the imperial residence, Eyüboğlu decided to liberate the original building of all the later additions and tried to reinstate the building to its initial seventeenth-century state. The removal of historical layers was disapproved by some of her contemporaries, while others appreciated her aesthetic concern. The case is reviewed at a broader scale, opening up to and integrating similar discussions in European preservation theory in the 1960s.

Etudes Balkaniques, 2018

As a cosmopolitan port city imbued with various cultures in the Levant, Salonica took its share f... more As a cosmopolitan port city imbued with various cultures in the Levant, Salonica took its share from the modernization efforts triggered with Tanzimat Period. By mid-nineteenth century, Salonica's embankment and customs facilities were limited and the transport of goods was problematic due to limited access. Meanwhile, burgeoning trade activities as a result of Ottoman treaties granting special privileges to foreign tradesmen necessitated a comprehensive reorganization of the harbour area. This paper aims to study on the urban and architectural transformation of the commercial centre of the city, with a special focus on the reorganization of the sea shore supported with new findings from the Ottoman archives. After its completion in 1882, Salonica Quay became the most prestigious area of the city, lined with buildings which represented the transforming socioeconomic life. The urban transformation emerging from the quay area also reflected in the traditional commercial centre concentrating around Frank Street, where new types of commercial buildings started to appear.

Mimarlık Dergisi, 2018

yılında Mana Contemporary'nin bünyesinde bir mekân olarak kullanıma açılan Richard Meier Maket Mü... more yılında Mana Contemporary'nin bünyesinde bir mekân olarak kullanıma açılan Richard Meier Maket Müzesi (Richard Meier Model Museum), Meier'in imzası olan birçok proje maketine ev sahipliği yapıyor. 1500 metrekarelik bir alana yayılmış olan müze, maketlerin sergilendiği salonun yanı sıra öğrenci ve araştırmacıların kullanımına açık Meier'ın kendi kişisel koleksiyonuna ait 1000'den fazla kitabın olduğu bir kütüphane ve sergi alanını içeriyor. Pritzker ödüllü mimar Meier'in 1960'lardan bu yana yürüttüğü çalışmalara ilişkin maket, heykel ve kolajları içeren arşivi görebilmek için randevu almak gerekiyor. Rehberli turların da düzenlendiği sergi mekânı, hafta içi her gün ziyaretçilere açık. web sitesi: www.richardmeier.com adres: 888 Newark Avenue, 2 nd Floor Jersey City, NJ 07306 Amerika T: +1 201 604 2702

Özet 1839'da Tanzimat Fermanı'nın ilan edilmesinden sonra, birçok alanda yenilik arayışına giren... more Özet
1839'da Tanzimat Fermanı'nın ilan edilmesinden sonra, birçok alanda yenilik arayışına giren Osmanlı hükümeti, İstanbul'dan başlayarak kentlerin fiziksel görünüm-lerinin iyileştirilmesine yönelik çalışmalara öncelik vermiştir. Bu makale kapsamında, Osmanlı Devleti'nin İstanbul'dan sonra en önemli iki liman kenti olan İzmir ve Selanik'teki kentsel dönüşüm hareketleri, rıhtım ve limanların inşası özelinde ele alınacaktır. Tarihleri boyunca birçok ortak nokta barındıran İzmir ve Selanik, 19. yüzyılın ikinci yarısında Doğu Akdeniz'deki liman kentleri ile benzer dönüşüm süreçlerinden geçmiştir. Özellikle rıhtım ve limanların inşası gibi kapsamlı projeler, kentsel dönüşümü tetikleyen başlıca unsurlar olmuştur. Hem kârlı yatırım alanları oluşturan hem de kentin çehresini büyük ölçüde değiştiren bu projelerin gerçekleşmesi yalnızca bu tür yenilikleri destekleyen İngiliz ve Fransız girişimcilerin çabalarıyla değil, aynı zamanda yeni rant alanlarının oluşmasına sıcak bakan Os-manlı yöneticileri sayesinde olmuştur. Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivleri'nde yapılan araştırmalara dayanan bu çalışma, iki kentte bu projelerin ortaya çıkış ve uygula-ma süreçlerini karşılaştırmalı inceleyerek, kentsel dönüşüm dinamiklerini Osmanlı Hükümeti'nin perspektifinden çözümlemeyi amaçlamaktadır.
Abstract Urban Transformation in Smyrna and Salonica in the 19th Century: Construction of Quays and Ports
After the Edict of Gülhane (imperial edict of reorganization) was declared in 1839, the Ottoman State underwent a period of novelties and changes. The State prioritized urban refurbishments that aimed to rehabilitate the physical outlook of cities starting from the capital Istanbul. In this article, the urban transformation cases in Smyrna and Salonica, two of the most important Ottoman port cities following Istan-bul, will be studied in the context of quay and port constructions. These large-scale projects became the triggering factors in the urban development. Smyrna and Salo-nica had many similarities throughout their history and the 19th century witnessed a similar process of urban transformation among all the eastern Mediterranean port cities. These projects, which dramatically changed the urban silhouette in both cities were realized not only with the contributions of British and French entrepreneurs, who supported such novelties, but also with the Ottoman administrators who were keen on creating new profitable zones. This study is based on the author's doctoral thesis and the post-doctoral research conducted in the State Archives of Prime Ministry. It is focused on comparing the initiation and implementation phases of quay and port construction in Smyrna and Salonica, aiming to analyse the dynamics of urban transformation through the perspective of the Ottoman administration.

Climate Change Induced Threats on Cultural Heritage: It is a known fact anthropogenic activities ... more Climate Change Induced Threats on
Cultural Heritage:
It is a known fact anthropogenic activities are
increasing green house gas emissions and thus
causing global warming. Therefore, many
scientific and technological studies are being
conducted to tackle with climate change impacts
and mitigation. Many of these studies are
focused on the environmental, biophysical, social
and economic impacts, whereas there are fewer
studies on cultural heritage, which constitutes an
inseparable part of our habitat. Recent
international studies in this field demonstrate that
cultural heritage plays a vital role in climate
change adaptation and mitigation. This paper
aims to evaluate the present studies related with
climate change and heritage preservation and
formulate proposals for what can be done in
Turkey, as there are very limited steps yet taken
in this manner.

Starting with the declaration of Tanzimat Firman in 1839, a systematic transformation in differen... more Starting with the declaration of Tanzimat Firman in 1839, a systematic transformation in different fields, such as administration, law, taxation, property rights, education, urban planning and public works was initiated, which triggered the regulation of urban space as a tool for achieving a modern state. This paper focuses on the formation of urban regulations in the 19th century and questions their reflection in the urban space based on the case of Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman State. The period between 1820–1900 is chosen, during which nine regulations were enacted concerning the buildings and the streets. During this period, the building regulations were tried to be systematized and following the establishment of the necessary urban administrative bodies, they were able to be applied in some districts in Istanbul. Although the building regulations were enacted with the purpose to transform the whole city, they could only be implemented in certain areas, the most prestigious neighborhoods such as Galata and Pera, due to financial and administrative restrictions.

1839'da Tanzimat Fermanı'nın ilanından sonra yönetim, hukuk, vergi, mülki haklar, eğitim, kentsel planlama ve belediye hizmetleri gibi farklı alanlarda sistematik bir değişim başlamıştır. Bu durum, modern bir devlet oluşumuna bir araç olarak kent mekânını düzenleme sürecini de be-raberinde getirmiştir. Bu makale, 19. yüzyılda kentsel düzenlemelerin oluşum süreçlerine odaklanmakta ve İstanbul örneği üzerinden bunların kent mekânındaki yansımalarını irdelemektedir. Bu inceleme için yapılara ve sokaklara yönelik dokuz adet düzenlemenin yayınlandığı 1820–1900 aralığı seçilmiştir. Bu dönemde, yapı düzenlemeleri sistematize edilmeye çalışılmış ve gerekli yönetim birimleri kurulması sayes-inde İstanbul'un bazı bölgelerinde hayata geçirilmeleri mümkün olmuştur. Her ne kadar yapı düzenlemeleri tüm kente uygulanmak üzere yayınlanmışsalar da, finansal ve idari kısıtlamalar nedeni ile Galata ve Pera gibi belirli bölgelerde gerçekleştirilebilmiştirler.

As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban manage... more As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban management started to be established in Istanbul. This paper handles the 18th century as an initial period for these urban reforms and studies how the built environment was regulated at the time. The regulations of 18th century which were based on the occasion of natural disasters and public dispute will be evaluated via official archive documents and narratives. 18th century Istanbul's general urban fabric was formed with organic narrow streets and small timber houses. With the ethno-religious diversity embedded to this picture, the city had a complex and fragile character. Numerous fires causing massive destructions raised a need for precautions. Several orders related to construction systems, building height, size of building elements like eaves and projections were issued. On the other hand, the fact that urban constituents like ownership were not defined clearly in the modern sense made public dispute very common. Apart from the complexity of the built environment, most of the conflicts arose from the social structure of Istanbul which was comprised of various ethno-religious groups. There was a clear distinction of Muslims and non-Mus-lims in the urban realm as they had different building regulations, until the issuing of the Tanzimat Firman. The regulations of the 18th century was based on cases, rather than being comprehensive generalized rules for the urban fabric and thus had a more proscriptive nature rather than prescriptive.

As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban manage... more As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban management started to be established in Istanbul. This paper handles the 18th century as an initial period for these urban reforms and studies how
the built environment was regulated at the time. The regulations of 18th century which were based on the occasion of natural disasters and public dispute will be evaluated via official archive documents and narratives.
18th century Istanbul’s general urban fabric was formed with organic narrow streets and small timber houses. With the ethno-religious diversity embedded to this picture, the city had a complex and fragile character. Numerous fires causing
massive destructions raised a need for precautions. Several orders related to construction systems, building height, size of building elements like eaves and projections were issued. On the other hand, the fact that urban constituents like ownership were not defined clearly in the modern sense made public dispute very common. Apart from the complexity of the built environment, most of the conflicts arose from the social structure of Istanbul which was comprised of various ethno-religious groups. There was a clear distinction of Muslims and non-Muslims in the urban realm as they had different building regulations, until the issuing of the Tanzimat Firman.
The regulations of the 18th century was based on cases, rather than being comprehensive generalized rules for the urban fabric and thus had a more proscriptive nature rather than prescriptive.

This study addresses the issue of the value of local architecture in traditional Aegean settlemen... more This study addresses the issue of the value of local architecture in traditional Aegean settlements and how to evaluate it as a tool for a sustainable urban rehabilitation. As a case, Cunda Island, which is historical town on the northern part of the Aegean coast, will be evaluated. Cunda was an important Greek settlement during the Ottoman period, especially in the 19th century. Although it still keeps its authentic vernacular character, there is a development pressure of new housing constructions around the borders of the historic town due to touristic activities. Taking these problems into account and based on the author’s studies on this area, this paper proposes a model for a sustainable urban rehabilitation of Cunda, which can set an example for other settlements in this region.

Books by Ceylan Irem Gencer

Mimarlar Odası Tarihinden Portreler : Nur Akın, 2019

“Mimarlar Odası Tarihinden Portreler” dizisinin son kitabı, Prof. Dr. Nur Akın’ı konu ediyor. Işı... more “Mimarlar Odası Tarihinden Portreler” dizisinin son kitabı, Prof. Dr. Nur Akın’ı konu ediyor. Işıl Çokuğraş ve Ceylan İrem Gençer’in 9-11 Şubat 2018 tarihinde Nur Akın ile gerçekleştirdikleri söyleşiden yola çıkılıyor. Kitapta Akın’ın çocukluk ve eğitim hayatından başlayarak Bodrum’daki emeklilik günlerine kadar kronolojik bir anlatı benimsenirken yaşam öyküsüne bolca mesleki çalışma ve araştırmalarına ait detaylar da eşlik ediyor.

International Journal of Islamic Architecture, 2023

Journal of Architectural Conservation, 2023

Etudes Balkaniques, 2018

Mimarlık Dergisi, 2018

As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban manage... more As a part of the Ottoman modernization process, new regulations and institutions for urban management started to be established in Istanbul. This paper handles the 18th century as an initial period for these urban reforms and studies how
the built environment was regulated at the time. The regulations of 18th century which were based on the occasion of natural disasters and public dispute will be evaluated via official archive documents and narratives.
18th century Istanbul’s general urban fabric was formed with organic narrow streets and small timber houses. With the ethno-religious diversity embedded to this picture, the city had a complex and fragile character. Numerous fires causing
massive destructions raised a need for precautions. Several orders related to construction systems, building height, size of building elements like eaves and projections were issued. On the other hand, the fact that urban constituents like ownership were not defined clearly in the modern sense made public dispute very common. Apart from the complexity of the built environment, most of the conflicts arose from the social structure of Istanbul which was comprised of various ethno-religious groups. There was a clear distinction of Muslims and non-Muslims in the urban realm as they had different building regulations, until the issuing of the Tanzimat Firman.
The regulations of the 18th century was based on cases, rather than being comprehensive generalized rules for the urban fabric and thus had a more proscriptive nature rather than prescriptive.

Mimarlar Odası Tarihinden Portreler : Nur Akın, 2019

Kurmak ve Onarmak: Mimar-Restoratör Mualla Eyüboğlu (1919-2009), 2023

Kurmak ve Onarmak, Türkiye’nin ilk kadın mimarlarından Mualla Eyüboğlu’nun kişisel arşivinden yol... more Kurmak ve Onarmak, Türkiye’nin ilk kadın mimarlarından Mualla Eyüboğlu’nun kişisel arşivinden yola çıkarak hayatını ve 1940’lardan 1980’lere kadar süren meslek yaşantısını inceliyor. Eyüboğlu Devlet Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi Mimarlık Bölümü’nden mezun olduktan hemen sonra Cumhuriyet ideolojisinin en önemli girişimlerinden Köy Enstitüleri’nin kuruluşunda çalışmış; kariyerinin sonraki dönemlerinde ise Topkapı Sarayı, Rumelihisarı gibi anıtsal Osmanlı eserlerinin restorasyonunda görev almıştır.

Mualla Eyüboğlu’nun arşivinden otobiyografik notlar, mektuplar, mesleki defterler, çizimler, yapı fotoğraflarından restorasyon süreçlerine ait yazışmalara kadar çok çeşitli belge, mimarın portresini yeniden inşa etmenin yanında dönemin mimarlık ve restorasyon, düşün ve uygulama ortamını da kavramamıza yardımcı oluyor.

MOMOWO Women’s Creativity since the Modern Movement (1918–2018), 2018

İKLİM DEĞİŞİKLİĞİ VE TÜRKİYE DENİZLERİ ÜZERİNE ETKİLERİ, 2021

Building Regulations and Urban Form, 1200-1900, 2018

Ernst A. Egli: Türkiye'ye Katkılar, 2017

Kırsal Mimarlık Mirasının Korunması, 2017

Buildings & Cities, 2024

One of the characteristics of vernacular architecture is that it is a process involving continuou... more One of the characteristics of vernacular architecture is that it is a process involving continuous adaptation as a response to social and environmental constraints (ICOMOS 1999). This commentary considers how modern architecture in Turkey can embrace principles from vernacular designs to become more climate resilient.

14th European Association For Urban History Conference: Urban Renewal and Resilience

This paper argues whether tourism should be the aim of an urban conservation plan or it should be... more This paper argues whether tourism should be the aim of an urban conservation plan or it should be a tool to integrate in conservation, focusing on the rehabilitation of Antalya's historic center, the first largescale urban conservation program implemented in Turkey. Antalya is one of the most popular touristic destinations situated on the Mediterranean coast. The origins of Antalya's historic center date back to the Hellenistic Period and is comprised of an intra-mural settlement (Kaleiçi) with a port. In 1973, Antalya was designated as a touristic zone and a protocol was signed between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Antalya Municipality, Building and Construction Ministry and the Supreme Board of Antiquities and Monuments for the rehabilitation of the port and Kaleiçi. First, the port and the buildings outside the walled city, which were mostly small workshops and abandoned buildings, would be restored as touristic facilities. Then with the revenues generating from tourism, Kaleiçi would be restored. Meanwhile, Antalya was included in the Southern Antalya Tourism Development Plan in 1977, with the ambitious aim to create a touristic accommodation capacity of 25.000 bed places. While the rehabilitation of the port area was successful, the Tourism Development Plan had negative impacts on Kaleiçi, because it aimed to convert historic residential units to touristic facilities. Some of the most prestigious mansions were expropriated and their owners had to move out, while some of the owners did not agree to rehabilitate their houses for touristic purposes. As a result, most of the residents of Kaleiçi had emigrated, the houses were either torn down and reconstructed in concrete or additional storeys/buildings were constructed to meet the requirements of touristic facilities. The paper will discuss the outcomes of Antalya experience, which demonstrates the significance of integrating physical and social factors in urban conservation programs.

8th International Conference KERPIC’20 Healthy Buildings: The Role of Earthen Material on Providing Healthy and Sustainable Indoor Environment, 2020

As a traditional building material, earth consumes minimum energy in its production, recycle/disp... more As a traditional building material, earth consumes minimum energy in its production, recycle/disposal processes after completing its useful life, does not require construction of any facilities and provides a healthy built environment for the building users during usage-given that the material is acquired from a clean resource. Used since the earliest human settlements, earth architecture is the evidence of cultural progress of the humanity, thus recognized as a common cultural heritage by the international preservation realm. Earth architecture is very vulnerable, under the constant impact of natural and anthropogenic threats. Therefore, there are several initiatives of worldwide organizations working on safeguarding the earthen heritage at risk. Since 1970s, ICOMOS organized a series of conferences for a deeper understanding of earthen architecture, while UNESCO launched World Heritage Programme on Earthen Architecture for the conservation, revitalization and valorization of earthen architecture. In terms of sustainability of vernacular architecture in Turkey, there are institutional (TÜBA, universities, local governments, etc.) and individual (especially preservation and building science experts) academic studies on its documentation and inventory. The aim of this paper is to make a research on the documentation and inventory studies on earthen architectural heritage in Turkey, which constitutes an important component of vernacular architecture. It is intended to increase the potential of national presence in local, regional, national and international studies for the preservation and revitalization of earthen buildings and thus contribute to the production of new knowledge for the sustainability of vernacular architectural heritage.

7th Global Conference on Global Warming, 2018

Cultural heritage encompasses traditional construction systems which have adapted to their surrou... more Cultural heritage encompasses traditional construction systems which have adapted to their surrounding environment and developed through inherited experiences for ages. Such traditional constructions can be evaluated as energy efficient designs, since they utilize local materials and embrace passive acclimatization solutions. The same design approach can be traced in traditional urban and rural settlements as well as landscaping. Cultural heritage assets should not only be evaluated physically as low energy-consuming, naturefriendly and sustainable systems, but also as resilient structures that have survived past climate related changes and disasters. Analyzing physical and social data that cultural heritage embodies reveals a vital opportunity in climate change adaptation strategies. Physical properties, materials in buildings/built environment, building elements, features that increase the resiliency of construction techniques in past disasters/extreme climate events can be derived from the relation between the building with its physical environment. On the other hand, social properties are rooted in the adaptation ability of human societies that have generated cultural heritage for ages. Within this context, traditional construction skills and know-how should also be assessed. Especially the fact that pre-industrial societies established their settlements on self-sufficiency principle clearly reveals that we have a lot to learn from local/indigenous sources. This article focuses on the role of cultural heritage and the adoption of integrated management of cultural and natural heritage sites for adapting our cities to climate change with case studies from around the world.

This paper focuses on the urban planning challenges of the pre-modern era in Istanbul. This perio... more This paper focuses on the urban planning challenges of the pre-modern era in Istanbul. This period is considered as the preparatory phase for the urban modernization in the 19 th century. The method of resolving the local planning issues by the central authorities defined the upcoming modern planning concepts. The building codes issued in the 18 th century evolved into an urban law in 1880s, conceiving the urban realm as a whole, opposed to the case oriented approach of the pre-modern period. Throughout the pre-modern period, natural disasters were one of the main issues in Istanbul's urban life as major fires occurred frequently and the earthquakes devastated the citizens. In a city with an organic street network and timber framed buildings, fire was the main threat. Therefore, the authorities were continuously challenged to reconstruct the city with new urban approaches, trying to mitigate fire risks by issuing codes for building construction throughout the 18th century. Although most of the regulations were concerned with residential areas, there were some documents addressing commercial areas as well. The main commercial area of Istanbul was the Historic Peninsula as it housed the main ports for landing goods. The goods were then transferred to khans-major commercial buildings that would house many rooms organized around a courtyard-and shops. The khans were not only used for storage, but also housed single men like porters and boatmen. In most cases we see that the khans and shops were not allowed to be built from timber, with the exception of financial constraints. However the imperial order issued in 1731 contradicted with them by banning the construction of masonry khans. The contradiction of these consecutive orders lied in the history of urban revolts the capital faced in 18 th century. From 1750s until 1826-the abolishment of the Janissary Corps, the main army-five upheavals performed by urban crowds of Istanbul threatened the central state, resulting in dethroning of sultans and assassination of many government officials. The construction of masonry khans did not serve the purpose of the government, because the shopkeepers and khan residents sometimes joined Janissaries, gathering in masonry khans in large groups and defending themselves in these robust structures. These khans would house thousands of men migrated to Istanbul for work enabling a sustainable financial system for them through collective living. Through many documents we know that the khans offered a closed system for its residents as some khans would house small shops for food and there would be someone responsible for daily needs and organization of the life in the rooms. In the traditional urban history narratives of Istanbul, there is a tendency to imagine that the city was distributed into compartments: residential and commercial areas, administrative and religious complexes… However through khans we comprehend that Istanbul had a more complex structure. We can see that the famous commercial areas of Istanbul like Mahmudpaşa was also one of the most crowded residential areas. Throughout their story in the 18 th century, we see that the authorities were undecided about the endurance of khans. As massive urban elements and major commercial buildings there were to be protected from fire, but as residential structures housing immigrants that became primary elements of urban revolts, they were not to be sustained. Despite the authorities' contradiction in endurance of these massive structures; the khans survived until today and in a way there are the symbol of resistance to natural disasters and authorities' suppression towards immigrants.

The paper will be focused on the 18th century Istanbul, which is an era of attempts to form the m... more The paper will be focused on the 18th century Istanbul, which is an era of attempts to form the modern urban regulations in the Ottoman context. In this period, unlike the 19th century, pre-modern mechanisms are more prevalent in urban management which results in undefined boundaries. According to official archives, it is understood that the morphological structure of buildings and ownership issues are too intricate to be described. All the regulations are formulated either after disasters or neighborhood conflicts.
Disasters that affect Istanbul the most were fires and earthquakes. Since most of the buildings were constructed with timber and the streets were narrow and irregular, the fires could spread very quickly, affecting large areas in a short time. The most destructive earthquake of this period happened in 1766, destroying most of the districts in the city. After this disaster, it is known that public buildings were restored, however we have too scarce information about the condition of civil buildings. Therefore, mostly the regulations were concerned with the structure of public buildings. In order to mitigate disaster risks, codes regarding all buildings, such as banning of the construction of timber structures and limitation of the projections of buildings and eaves were also issued.
Regulations concerning the civil architecture can also be found in the records of public petitions including neighborhood conflicts. These usually arise from the social structure of Istanbul which is comprised of various ethno-religious groups. According to regulations, different groups had different building codes. For example, non-Muslims could only build up to two floors and were not allowed to paint their houses in colors other than black or gray.
As a result of all these attempts to refine urban codes, urban form of 19th century Istanbul was created.

The enduring survival of the empire and its appropriation of the modernisation project in the lon... more The enduring survival of the empire and its appropriation of the modernisation project in the long nineteenth century have recently experienced a revival in the historical scholarship. Empires are central to our understanding of the condition of modernity and how it came into being in its diverse forms across the globe and time. However, the imperial role in the reshaping of cities into their modern form either in response to the urbanisation pressures or simply to fit a particular form of public representation requires careful consideration.

The subject of this thesis is the conservation and rehabilitation of the historical settlement of... more The subject of this thesis is the conservation and rehabilitation of the historical settlement of Cunda Island in the Aegean Sea. The site chosen for this work includes the most dense urban fabric in the historical area.
The first part of the work defines the aim and context of the thesis. The second part is about the position of the island in the Aegean Region and its brief history. Cunda Island is situated on the north of Edremit Bay, near the town of Ayvalık. The first settlements on this island dates back to the prehistorical era. During the Ottoman Empire, in the 19th century, the island and the town of Ayvalık were among the most developed Greek settlements on the Aegean Coast. After the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1924 and the disastrous earthquake in 1944, Cunda town was almost deserted.
The third section of this thesis points out the importance of the study area. The monumental religious buildings, such as Taksiyarhis Church, Panaya Church, Aya Yanni Church and Hamidiye Mosque, important public buildings and historical fountains in the site are explained. The plan and façade typologies, the construction techniques and the physical conditions of the historical houses as well as the environmental values of the historical district are described in detail. In order to evaluate the present condition of the site, certain analysis studies were carried out, such as: analysis of number of storeys, land use, building materials, state of preservation and historical value. Besides, public surveys were executed to understand the social fabric of the local citizens. The results of all these analyses are also explained in this section.
In the fourth section, the decisions on conservation and rehabilitation are suggested for the urban planning of Cunda town. The conservation proposal is based on uniting the architectural context of the historical area with the social fabric. The decisions are exemplified on a special area in the work site. The plan and façade surveys of this area were prepared first. Then, rehabilitation proposals were given according to the survey studies. Besides the special area, recommendations for the re-use of the coastal area of Cunda Island and the vacant historical buildings are proposed, which are supported with the re-organization of the traffic in the historical area.