The study of urban form in Turkey

Abstract

Urban form is studied in a variety of disciplines in Turkey, but it has recently become central to urban studies. Histories of individual towns have usually been preoccupied with political, socio-economic and cultural issues. Archaeological excavations have made an important contribution to the reconstruction and analysis of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish historic cities located in Anatolia and Thrace. Urban form is often considered as a container of socio-economic processes and as a marker in the search for cultural identity in Turkey. Architectural studies have focused mainly on important buildings and housing areas. The increasingly strong morphological perspective in urban studies is part of a reaction to the loss of historical fabric associated with large-scale urban renewal schemes. Urban morphological research in Turkey is reviewed here mainly since the 1970s. A number of disciplines are covered, particularly architecture, urban planning, urban design, geography and urban history. The historical evolution of Anatolian civilizations and its impact on settlement forms is outlined. Attention is drawn in particular to the contribution of urban planning and urban history to urban morphological research.