Identity and Memory of Heritage: Observations of Contemporary Conservation Approaches in the Case of Ulus, Ankara

Cultural heritage is a very dynamic expression that improves both the term and the field. Hence, the enlarging scope of the concept has increased the significance of conservation both in theory and practice the way that is considerably engaged with cultural heritage values more than ever. Nevertheless, the evaluation of value in the process of conservation is still very debatable due to the contradictory conservation approaches that have not sufficiently responded neither the term nor the task. Although conventional values such as oldness and historical value are widely approved, some fundamentals such as memory and identity are still not accepted as a cultural heritage value, which needs to preserve being part of cultural diversity and richness. In this context, one of the contemporary problems of conservation is the consideration of cultural heritage and its scope. Nevertheless, conserving modern buildings and rehabilitating the related legal approaches according to new parameters is very crucial, yet the significance of 20th-century heritage is not well developed among collective consciousness. Since conservation of 20th-century buildings mostly remains within the preference of the related local authorities, architectural products that represent the culture of this era are either demolished or under risk. Consequently, many countries like Turkey and many places like Ulus today face the risk of deterioration and, accordingly, losing its authenticity and history due to ignorance or destructive approaches. Therefore, this thesis discusses the contemporary approaches of architectural conservation in Turkey by examining 20th-century heritage buildings in the Ulus district, Ankara. With the discussion, it is attempted to comprehend the intangible and tangible references and significance of the 20th-century heritage, current approaches, and risks which are related to cultural identity and collective memory. The methodology is a qualitative method based on theoretical foundations and cases. It debates the concept and the approaches through the assessments. In this way, it aims to raise awareness about cultural heritage values and 20th-century heritage by reviewing the current situations through discussion and cases. Moreover, the study also intents to improve the existing conservation approaches related to the 20th century, and serve as a base for further studies and developments.