re-reading the social context of apartment block development in istanbul

240 Pages·2004·19.93 MB·English

RE-READING THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF APARTMENT BLOCK DEVELOPMENT
IN ISTANBUL: 1889-1922

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES
OF
THE MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

BY

ZEYNEP AKTUNA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN URBAN DESIGN
IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

DECEMBER 2003

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Approval of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences.

______________________________
Prof. Dr. Canan Özgen
Director

I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of
Master of Science.

______________________________
Prof. Dr. Ali Türel
Head of Department

This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully
adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science.

___________________________
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç
Supervisor
Examining Committee Members
Prof. Dr. Tansı (cid:1)enyapılı ____________________________
Assoc. Prof Dr. Özcan Altaban ___________________________
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç ____________________________
Asst. Prof. Dr. Adnan Barlas ____________________________
Asst. Prof. Dr. Elvan Altan Ergut ____________________________
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ABSTRACT

RE-READING THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF APARTMENT BLOCK
DEVELOPMENT IN ISTANBUL: 1889-1922

Aktuna, Zeynep
M.S., Urban Design
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç
December 2003, 224 pages

The thesis investigates the early phases of apartment block development in
Istanbul, which took place in the second half of the 19th century. Apartment block
development represents a unique process in Istanbul. It not only reflects the
“west-oriented” side of the Ottoman Empire but also sheds light on the
transformation of urban fabric from pre-modern to modern. The emergence of
apartment blocks in Istanbul, hence, does not simply imply the adoption of a
“western” and “modern” life, but also reflect a spatial transformation.

To clarify this unique process, the thesis studies the social and spatial aspects of
apartment block development from 1889 to 1922. The study uses the Annuaire
Orientals related to the years of 1889, 1893, 1896, 1910 and 1922. Through the
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use of the Annuaire data, it investigates on the ‘social profile’ of the early
apartment residents and ‘spatial setting’ of apartment blocks. Doing this, the
study aims to shed light on the socio-spatial differentiation behind the apartment
block development.

Keywords: Apartment block, housing, modernism, urban history, Ottoman
Empire, Annuaire Oriental.

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ÖZ

(cid:1)STANBUL’DA APARTMAN GEL(cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:1)M(cid:1)N(cid:1)N SOSYAL BA(cid:3)LAMININ YEN(cid:1)DEN
OKUNMASI: 1889-1922

Aktuna, Zeynep
Yüksek Lisans, Kentsel Tasarım
Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Murat Güvenç
Aralık 2003, 224 sayfa

Bu çalı(cid:2)ma içerisinde (cid:3)stanbul’daki apartmanla(cid:2)ma sürecinin ilk evreleri ele
alınmaktadır. (cid:3)stanbul’da 19. yüzyılın son çeyre(cid:4)inde ba(cid:2)layan apartmanla(cid:2)ma
süreci özel bir süreçtir. Bu süreç, sadece Osmanlı (cid:3)mparatorlu(cid:4)unun batıya
dönük yüzünü yansıtmakla kalmaz, aynı zamanda ‘modern öncesi’ kentsel
mekanın ‘moderne’ dönü(cid:2)ümüne de ı(cid:2)ık tutar. Dolayısıyla, apartman geli(cid:2)imi
‘batılı’ ve ‘modern’ olanın benimsenmesinin yanı sıra önemli bir mekansal
dönü(cid:2)üme de ı(cid:2)ık tutmaktadır.

Çalı(cid:2)ma, bu süreci aydınlatmak amacı ile apartman geli(cid:2)iminin arkasındaki
sosyal ve mekansal unsurları incelemektedir. Bu do(cid:4)rultuda, 1889, 1893, 1896,
1910 ve 1922 yıllarına ait Do(cid:4)u Yıllıkları (Annuaire Oriental) veritabanı olarak
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kullanılmaktadır. Yıllıklardaki veriler sayesinde erken apartman sakinlerinin
sosyal profili ve apartmanların mekansal da(cid:4)ılımları incelenmi(cid:2)tir. Çalı(cid:2)ma,
apartman geli(cid:2)iminin arkasındaki sosyo-mekansal farklıla(cid:2)maya da ı(cid:2)ık tutmaya
çalı(cid:2)maktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Apartman, konut, modernizm, kent tarihi, Osmanlı Devleti,
Do(cid:4)u Yıllıkları.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There is a long list of people who I would like to express my greatest gratitude.
First of all, I would like to thank to Prof. Dr. Tansı (cid:1)enyapılı, Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Özcan Altaban and Asst. Prof. Dr. Elvan Altan Ergut for their invaluable
comments and guidance. Second, I would like to thank to my colleagues Olgu
Çalı(cid:2)kan, Fikret Zorlu, Tolga Levent and Deniz Altay for their great contributions
to this study. Thirdly, I am very much thankful to Asst. Prof. Dr. Adnan Barlas
and Inst. Erhan Acar for their precious assistance. I am also very much grateful
to Funda Ba(cid:2) Bütüner, Ka(cid:4)an Dora, Yi(cid:4)it Gürerk, Nazlı&Yi(cid:4)it Karaca, Özge
Nazlıo(cid:4)lu, Levent Özayaz and my family for their invaluable encouragements.
Last but not the least, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my advisor
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç who never gave up supporting me. I enjoyed
working with him.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………….iii

ÖZ…………………………………………………………………………………………..v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………………………vii

CHAPTERS

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………...1

2. THE EMERGENCE OF THE APARTMENT BLOCK
IN THE HISTORY OF HOUSING……………………………………………………….12
2.1. The origin of multiple-household living: Insula of Ancient Rome…...…13
2.1.1. General Characteristics of Insula………..…………………….17

2.2. Multiple-story Dwelling Units in Anatolia
before the Ottoman Occupation....................................................................21

2.3. Multi-storey Dwellings in Pre-Industrial Town…………………………….21

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2.4. The Emergence of the Modern 'House with Apartments'…………….....23
2.4.1. Parisian discourse…………………………………………..……23
2.4.2. Vienna case…………………………………………………..… .28
2.4.3. London Case…………………………………...…………………29
2.4.4. Courtyard houses of Berlin ……………………..…………..…29

2.5. Development of Mass-Housing Practice in Europe………………….…31

3. THE DIFFUSION OF THE APARTMENT BLOCK IN TURKEY……………….…33
3.1. Practice of Apartment Block Construction in Turkey……………..….…34

3.2. Transformation of Housing Stock in 19th century: Transition from
Individual to Multiple-Housing Units in Istanbul……………………………….……37
3.2.1. Typical Ottoman Housing Typology………………………….…38
3.2.2. Multi-storey dwelling in Istanbul: the loosening of privacy
needs: Odalar…………..…………………………………………….…..40
3.2.3. Transformation of the traditional housing stock……………....42
3.2.4. Row Houses……………………………………...……………….43
3.2.5. Harikzedegan Apartments……………………………………….46

4. THE SOCIAL AND SPATIAL SETTING OF THE APARTMENT BLOCK………..49
4.1. History of Galata and Pera……………………………………………..….49
4.1.1. A Brief History of Galata……………………………………..….50
4.1.2. Expansion over the Galata Fortifications:
The development of Pera…………………………………….……......52

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4.2. Socio-economic, administrative and spatial dynamics of
19th century Istanbul………………………………………………..…………….55
4.2.1. Problems of the 19th century………………..…………………..56
4.2.2. Reconstruction of Urban Administration…………..…………..58
4.2.3. The Development of Building Regulations………………...…..60

4.3. Establishment of Sixth District………………………………………….…62

5. THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF APARTMENT BLOCKS: 1889-1922……………….64
5.1. Evolution of Apartment Residents in Istanbul: 1889-1922.....................70
5.1.1. Changes in the Employment Statuses of
Apartment Residents: 1889-1922......................................................70
5.1.2. Ethnic Profile of Apartment Residents: 1889-1922.................75
5.1.3. Professional Profile of Apartment
Residents: 1889 to 1922…………………………………………..……80

5.2. Spatial Setting of Apartment Blocks in Istanbul: 1889-1922..................82
5.2.1. Spreading of Apartment Blocks in Istanbul: 1889-1922..........82
5.2.1.1. Development Around the Tower of Galata...............85
5.2.1.2. Apartment Block Development
Along the Grand Rue de Pera………………………….….….87
5.2.1.3. Development on the Northern Section
of the GRP……………………………………………………….90

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