The spirit of place in Istanbul (study from the perspective of Sâmiha Ayverdi's literature)

The transformation and destruction that Istanbul has undergone have led to irreversible consequences. The city's topographic features and historical texture are increasingly deteriorating, and people's connection with the city is becoming limited to fragmented experiences. This study aims to shed light on the heritage that Istanbul lost and continues to lose. In the first section, the concepts of place, the structure of place, the character of place, and the spirit of place are emphasized. The investigation of these concepts forms the basis of this thesis because the semantic qualities of Istanbul and its architectural fabric are deemed more important than their material qualities. In the second section, the interaction between people and the city is examined. Given the phenomenological approach of the study, the concept of phenomenology is explained in this section. The experiential deficiencies, which are one of the major problems in modern cities, are scrutinized. The relationship between people and spaces within the city in everyday life is discussed. Additionally, the superficial and profound qualities of these experiences have influenced the scope and direction of the study. The selected reference allows for an evaluation of Istanbul with a qualitative approach through a perspective that holds deep values. The most comprehensive section of the thesis, the third section, reads Ottoman Istanbul through the experiences and views of Samiha Ayverdi. The internal dynamics of the city are now hidden in literature, photographs, and engravings. It is possible to rediscover the lost spirit of the city by reading it from the correct sources, stripped of its visual aspect. Samiha Ayverdi (1905-1993) expressed in her works that her writings were not merely products of imagination for those who seek but cannot see old Istanbul, and that she had a concern for conveying her cultural heritage to future generations. Therefore, through the documentary nature of her assessments, it has become possible to read, understand, and grasp the erased parts of the city to some extent. The study is structured in three layers. The first layer is constituted by the architectural fabric that determines the identity of the city. Silhouette, landscape, civil architecture, and monumental works are discussed in this section, and the harmony between the city's parts and the place is debated. The Suleymaniye Mosque, which represents Ottoman civilization and reflects its identity, has been emphasized. The design concept of this structure is considered first, and the effects of spatial analyses on people are evaluated. The second layer addresses the daily life of Ottoman people in the city's spaces and Istanbul's historical and cultural values. Architecture needs to be considered together with the life it encompasses. People living in old Istanbul shaped the city with a culture and value system based on their belief system and reflected their lifestyles in the architecture. The city's spaces are filled with sensory qualities that are lived, touched, and felt. The historical heritage of Istanbul was preserved under the Ottomans, and this accumulation was synthesized into a new form according to the belief and value system of the city's new inhabitants. In the final layer, the city is considered within the scope of the spirit of place, and it is concluded that this understanding manifests in Istanbul within the framework of the belief in tawhid (unity). Samiha Ayverdi's works contain evaluations that interpret the city through the concepts of tawhid and unity. Throughout the study, it is observed that the settlement principles and architectural details of Ottoman civilization were shaped according to the belief in tawhid. The most notable feature in the thesis topics is the architectural fabric planned according to nature. This feature, which reveals the spirit of place, is considered an attitude toward the divine order in the Ottoman context. People approached their surroundings not only through the material dimension but also through the spiritual dimension when establishing residences or designing structures. This approach resulted in balance and harmony between the structure of the place and architecture. Furthermore, the diversity and qualities of neighborhoods, the settlement centered around mosques or masjids, the details of daily life, the synthesis of historical and cultural heritage, the architectural elements of Suleymaniye supporting the idea of unity in belief, and many more have all been manifestations of this belief. According to the findings, this study is an interpretative attempt that elucidates Samiha Ayverdi's descriptions through the understanding of tawhid. Given the current state of the city, this study aims to provide a new and profound perspective on existing literature related to Istanbul. It offers an opportunity to re-understand, evaluate, and experience the qualities that give life to the Istanbul depicted in literary works, which is fading today. The goal is to convey the lost values and knowledge about old Istanbul to a wider audience, increase sensitivity through historical awareness and sensitivity towards the city and its constituting spaces, and refresh the collective memory.