MORPHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES FOR ASSESSING URBAN FORM OF ISTANBUL’S HISTORICAL PENINSULA

Abstract

In this paper, the morphological transformation of historical peninsula in Istanbul is investigated. Urban form of historical peninsula evolved under the predominant influence of religion and culture; therefore, it bears this symbolic imprint. For this study, particular attention is given to Islamic social complexes and their surrounding settlements. These areas have ground and underground remains from different time periods (Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Republican), which play an important role in the dominating silhouette. To the best of authors’ knowledge, it is the first attempt to analyze these study areas in terms of examining urban morphology in more detail. Urban morphology is an approach to analyze physical form of the cities, which is always transformed and developed by its inhabitants. Morphological change of region is related with social and economic context, which has a direct impact on town plan and building fabric. The study area is analyzed by adapting three different methods of urban morphology; 1) Conzenian school of thought based on the field surveys and large-scale plans, 2) an approach to block size and form proposed by Moudon, subject to typology of house forms and lots, and 3) space syntax theory based on natural roads, axial lines and angular segment analyses recently introduced by space syntax community to interpret changes, differences and similarities on urban form. Furthermore, historical GIS is utilized as a tool in order to create a database. The three concepts are applied in historical peninsula. The area includes considerable variety of urban form and archeological layers. The main purpose of the study is to understand how to perform and combine these approaches so as to investigate reflection of different civilizations on urban form and reveal the interactions of spaces on morphological structure for dealing with change. As a result, identification of unique characteristics of urban form, building pattern and transformation of town-plan is evaluated with combination of the different methods of Urban Morphology.