The 13th seminar of the “Istanbul Urban Studies” seminar series organized by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Istanbul Medeniyet University moderated by our Urban And Regional Planning Department member Res.Asst. Ayça ÇELİKBİLEK was held online on Thursday, 07th July 2021, with a presentation by Pelin ALBAYRAK FAKIOĞLU (MBA) titled with “Bizans’tan Günümüze At Meydanı” (At Meydanı (Hippodrome) from the Byzantium Era to the Present).
ALBAYRAK FAKIOĞLU discussed the concept of square with an important place in the use of public open spaces in reference to Sultanahmet At Meydanı (Hippodrome), which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and evaluated the changing function of the site since the Byzantium era to the present within the framework of the criteria for squares. The researcher firstly explained the factors such as the existence of public spaces, dominant feature, limitations, landscape, size/ratio and function, which are used to evaluate the urban functionality of squares. She interpreted the changing functionalities of the square during the Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic for which construction had previously been started during the Roman era as a “hippodrome” but not completed. She clarified that the dominant features and functionality of the square have undergone some major changes although its physical features have remained almost the same. On the other hand, she added that the nature of the square has been protected as a public space since the beginning. She pointed out that the change of user groups is also a vital factor for the square which transformed from an area for palace celebrations and political and public assembly area to a touristic and commercial center in time.
In the following q/a session, the changes that the square went through due to the basic function changes of the city and urbanization during the Republican era, especially with the effect of neoliberal policies, the presence of cultural heritage in its immediate vicinity, its transformation from being an area serving the citizens to a gathering area for tourists were discussed and the square’s transformation process was evaluated according to similar fields abroad.
