Sustainability, Disaster Risk and Conservation Problems of Industrial Heritages Between Yedikule and Küçükçekmece, Istanbul

Abstract

Only 36 of 256 factories that operated from the Ottoman period to the mid-20th century in Istanbul could reach today. Some of them were abandoned, some buildings were reused and some were reused together with their environment. In terms of conservation it is crucial to give the building a new function in order to help it survive, at the same time however, one has to be careful not to significantly change original characteristics of the building and not to break its connection with history. Due to the scale of the factories, the industrial heritage has to be protected together with its area. The ongoing urban transformation in Istanbul affects the visibility of these preserved examples of industrial heritage. In addition, researches draw attention to the probable risk of an earthquake in the near future in Istanbul, where several disasters have happened in previous history. This paper, discusses the conservation and sustainability of industrial heritages which are located in the area between Yedikule, on the border of the historical peninsula and Küçükçekmece Lake by the Marmara Sea, Turkey. The industrial heritage in the region concerned was evaluated in terms of its location, scale, existing structures, its current use and its structural and constructional features, taking the disaster risk into account. Four samples were evaluated, using data derived from on-site observations of the materials’ characteristics, the technology and structural systems the current condition of the building elements and their decoration features. The study emphasizes the necessity of protecting industrial heritage in Istanbul.