Palimpsest olgusunun morfolojik etkisi: Yeniden yapılandırıcı rota olarak İstanbul Atatürk Bulvarı örneği
The morphological effect of the palimpsest phenomenon: Atatürk Boulevard as a restructuring route
Yazar: GÜLLÜ BOZDOĞAN
Danışman: DOÇ. DR. TAN KAMİL GÜRER
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / Mimarlık Ana Bilim Dalı / Mimari Tasarım Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2024
Konu: Mimarlık = Architecture
Dizin: Kentsel bellek = Urban memory ; Kentsel morfoloji = Urban morphology ; Palimpsest = Palimpsest

Özet:
Kent olgusu tarihin hemen her döneminde ve coğrafyasında değişik anlamlara sahip olan dinamik bir kavram olsa dahi kökleri uygarlığın oluşumuna tutunmuştur; kalıcı ve evrenseldir. Kentler birer organizma olarak büyür ve kullanıcılarının imgelemleri ile bir bellek edinir. Yıkım ve yok etme gibi ani değişimler kent belleğini sekteye uğratır ve palimpsest etkisi yaratır. Silinen ve yeniden yazılan bellek kentin kimliğini oluşturur, yaşanmışlık izlerinin tümü kentin palimpseste uğramış belleğidir.
Her kent kaçınılmaz olarak zaman içerisinde değişimler yaşar, bu değişimler kentler üzerinde farklı morfolojik izler bırakır. Farklı dönemlerin morfolojik özelliklerini taşıyan kentsel artifaktlar, kent dokusunda bina, cadde, yapı adası, bölge, rotalar olarak görülebilir. Yeniden yapılandırıcı rotalar, kentlerin güncel ihtiyaçlarını karşılamak için mevcut kentsel dokuda fiziksel değişikliklere neden olabilen kentsel artifaktlardır. Ancak, yeniden yapılandırıcı rotalar travmatik etkileri ile kentsel kolektif belleği bozabilir ve yeni palimpsest oluşumuna sebep olabilir.
İstanbul Atatürk Bulvarı, yapılaşma süreçlerinin yanı sıra sokak dokusu, parselizasyon ve mimari form değişiklikleri gibi kent dokusu üzerindeki etkileri açısından önemli bir inşa süreci örneğidir. Dolayısıyla, modernist cumhuriyet reformlarının ve ideolojisinin kentsel mekandaki bir temsili olarak Atatürk Bulvarı, bölgedeki kentsel dokunun dönüşümünü ateşleyen bir başlangıç noktasıdır. Bu çalışma, yeniden yapılandırıcı rota olarak Atatürk Bulvarı'nın kentsel peyzaj üzerindeki palimpsest etkisini tipomorfolojik bir yöntemle analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yeniden yapılandırıcı rota teriminin çerçevesi Giuseppe Strappa'nın yapmış olduğu tanım bağlamında farklı mimarlık ekolleri ışığında incelenerek okunmuştur. Yeniden yapılandırıcı rotaların palimpsest olgusu ile ilişkisinin yorumlanması ile Atatürk Bulvarı'nın palimpsestleri üzerindeki etkisine odaklanılmıştır. Bu çalışma aracılığıyla, yeniden yapılandırıcı rotaların kentsel peyzajın oluşumunda ne kadar etkili olduğu ve kentsel formla ne kadar bütünleştiği de ortaya konulmuştur.

Abstract:
The concept of urbanisation is inherently complex and has been interpreted in a multitude of ways across a diverse range of historical epochs and geographical contexts. The phenomenon of urbanisation has its origins in the formation of civilisation, which marks it as a phenomenon that is both enduring and universal in nature. Cities develop in a manner analogous to biological organisms, undergoing a dynamic process of evolution shaped by the collective actions and imaginations of their inhabitants. However, the demolition and destruction of urban areas present considerable challenges to the continuity of urban memory, resulting in what urban theorists describe as the palimpsest effect. This phenomenon occurs when successive layers of urban history are systematically erased and rewritten, collectively shaping the identity of a city and contributing to its palimpsestic memory.
The transformation of urban areas is a continuous process, leaving behind a series of morphological imprints that reflect the historical evolution of the urban fabric. These urban artefacts encompass a diverse range of elements, including buildings, streets, districts and transportation routes. Each of these elements serves as a tangible manifestation of the city's morphological evolution and cultural stratification. Among these elements, restructuring routes emerge as a pivotal urban intervention, introducing physical alterations to the existing urban fabric in response to contemporary urban needs. While these interventions are essential for urban development, they also carry the potential to disrupt urban collective memory due to their transformative impacts. This may result in the formation of new layers of memory or palimpsests.
A case in point is Istanbul's Atatürk Boulevard, which has undergone a series of phases of development and redevelopment, exerting a significant influence on the city's urban morphology, architectural landscape and socio-economic fabric. Initially conceived as a symbol of modernist republican reforms and ideologies, Atatürk Boulevard has subsequently evolved into a critical urban thoroughfare that embodies the dynamic interplay between historical continuity and modern urbanisation. The evolution of this route illustrates the impact of restructuring on urban identity and spatial organisation, particularly in the context of broader socio-political changes.
This study employs a typomorphological approach to analyse the palimpsest effect of Atatürk Boulevard as a restructuring route on Istanbul's urban landscape. By situating the concept of a 'restructuring route' within the theoretical framework of Giuseppe Strappa and drawing insights from a range of architectural ecologies, this research illuminates the intricate relationship between urban development strategies and the formation of palimpsests. The analysis demonstrates how Atatürk Boulevard's evolution reflects and reshapes the urban memoryscape, thereby illustrating its function as a transformative agent in Istanbul's urban morphology and cultural heritage preservation.
Moreover, this study makes a significant contribution to the academic discourse on urban dynamics and heritage conservation practices in rapidly evolving urban contexts. By examining the intersection of architecture, urban planning, and cultural history, this research highlights the importance of strategic urban interventions that strike a balance between progress and the preservation of historical layers. Atatürk Boulevard provides an illustrative example of the challenges and complexities faced by cities in reconciling urban development with the preservation of their cultural heritage and identity. In conclusion, this study proposes the implementation of sustainable urban policies that integrate historical narratives into future urban development plans. This approach will result in the creation of resilient cities that embrace their historical legacy amidst contemporary challenges and opportunities.
The urban fabric of any city is subject to inevitable changes over time, resulting in distinctive morphological imprints that distinguish different historical periods. These urban artefacts, which encompass buildings, streets, districts and transportation routes, serve as tangible markers of a city's morphological evolution and cultural stratification. Among these artefacts, restructuring routes are of particular significance as urban interventions, capable of imposing physical alterations on the existing urban fabric in order to meet contemporary urban needs. Nevertheless, the implementation of restructuring routes has the potential to disrupt urban collective memory due to their transformative impact, which may result in the emergence of new layers of memory or palimpsests.
The reconstruction of Istanbul's Atatürk Boulevard provides an illustrative example of a transformative process within the urban fabric, whereby the subsequent effects on the cityscape are also worthy of note. The influence of Atatürk Boulevard can be observed across a number of different aspects of urban morphology, including alterations to street patterns, parcelisation strategies, architectural typologies and construction methodologies. Atatürk Boulevard is regarded as an exemplar of modernist republican reforms and ideologies in urban planning, and has been identified as a catalyst for reshaping the urban fabric of its region. The objective of this study is to examine the palimpsest effect of Atatürk Boulevard as a restructuring route on the urban landscape through a typomorphological methodological lens.
The term "restructuring route" is contextualised within Giuseppe Strappa's theoretical framework, thereby elucidating its role and implications within diverse architectural ecologies. This study explores the intricate relationship between restructuring routes and the phenomenon of palimpsest, with a particular focus on the impact of Atatürk Boulevard on the formation and evolution of urban palimpsests. Furthermore, this research demonstrates the effectiveness of restructuring routes in influencing the urban landscape and integrating harmoniously with the urban form. It exemplifies their dynamic interaction with both urban morphology and cultural heritage. This interaction is pivotal for understanding the evolving identity and spatial development of cities.
This study employs a typomorphological approach to elucidate the complex interweaving of urban development and memory within Atatürk Boulevard and its environs. This methodological framework allows for a comprehensive analysis of the ways in which restructuring routes contribute to the transformation and continuity of urban landscapes, thereby underscoring their role as agents of change in urban evolution.
This research, which draws on an interdisciplinary approach encompassing architecture, urban planning and cultural studies, makes a significant contribution to our understanding of urban dynamics and the preservation of urban heritage. In conclusion, it highlights the intricate interconnections between urban initiatives, collective memory, and the evolving urban identity, providing insights into sustainable urban development practices and heritage conservation strategies.
In conclusion, the case study of Istanbul's Atatürk Boulevard provides an illustrative example of the transformative impact of restructuring routes on urban morphology and cultural heritage. By examining the evolution of Atatürk Boulevard from its inception as an exemplar of modernist republican reforms and ideologies to its current role as a pivotal urban thoroughfare, this study has illuminated the complex interplay between urban planning interventions and the formation of urban identity. The influence of Atatürk Boulevard is evident in a multitude of aspects of urban development, including alterations to the street layout, parcelisation strategies, architectural typologies and construction methodologies. Collectively, these factors have contributed to the Boulevard's status as a catalyst for the spatial transformation of Istanbul's urban fabric.
Moreover, the typomorphological analysis conducted in this study has demonstrated that restructuring routes like Atatürk Boulevard not only shape the physical environment of cities but also influence socio-cultural dynamics and collective memory. The term "restructuring route," situated within the theoretical framework proposed by Giuseppe Strappa, offers a lens through which to interpret the role of Atatürk Boulevard in transforming the urban landscape and engendering new layers of urban memory. This analytical approach reveals the complex historical and cultural significance embedded within the boulevard's development, emphasising its symbolic and functional importance in the narrative of Istanbul's urban evolution.
Furthermore, by examining the palimpsestic nature of urban environments, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how cities preserve and reinterpret their historical layers in the context of ongoing urbanisation. The concept of the palimpsest, as applied to Atatürk Boulevard, elucidates the manner in which erased and rewritten urban memories coalesce to form a complex tapestry of urban identity. This perspective emphasises the dynamic nature of urban landscapes as repositories of cultural heritage and historical continuity. Each phase of urban development leaves a distinctive imprint on the physical and social fabric of the city.
The analysis of Atatürk Boulevard as a restructuring route has the potential to enrich scholarly discourse on urban planning and architecture, while also informing practical approaches to sustainable urban development and heritage conservation. By acknowledging the dual function of restructuring routes in influencing urban form and safeguarding cultural memory, this study proposes the implementation of judicious urban interventions that respect the past while addressing present necessities and future aspirations. Consequently, Atatürk Boulevard serves as an exemplar of the evolving dynamics of urbanism, where historical and modern influences converge to shape the spatial and cultural identity of contemporary cities.