Third dimension of urban patterns: Comperative analysis of Ayvansaray and Samatya fire areas' current patterns

Urban patterns play a significant role on defining and analyzing the identities of cities. Urban patterns gain authenticity, are perceived differently and can be distinguished from each other through different typologies, distinctive formations and the features of their components. However, these distinctive features can be detected not only by two-dimensional analyses but also by perceiving all the details with three-dimensional analyses of urban patterns. Urban patterns or parts of urban patterns that are organized under same socio-economic, politic or legal circumstances that have similar typologies or that look alike on two dimensions can differ from each other according to their third dimensional features for many reasons. Therefore, it is critical to consider and discuss urban patterns together with their third dimensions and perceiving their third dimensional features. On the literature research that has been performed within the scope of this thesis, it has been found that urban patterns are usually being regarded two dimensionally and the third dimension is usually taken in consideration with limited scopes or are argued in different contexts. Therefore thesis titled as 'Third Dimension of Urban Patterns: Comparative Analysis of Ayvansaray and Samatya Fire Areas' Current Patterns'; has been aimed to emphasize the importance of third dimension of urban patterns, to examine which elements and what kind of expression techniques can be used while analyzing urban patterns on third dimension in order to prove the significance of qualities and features that urban patterns virtually acquire, through comparative analysis of sample areas. According to these aims at first; pattern and urban pattern configurations, classifications and perception of patterns, urban pattern typologies, the factors that play a role on reorganization and perception of urban patterns, their relations to third dimension and components of urban patterns have been investigated. Afterwards, the period of the reorganizations of urban patterns at Ayvansaray and Samatya fire areas', which are the sample areas of this thesis, took place in the 19th century have been studied in the context of regulations, political and spatial circumstances. The first states of reorganized patterns have been researched from literature and maps that show two-dimensional design and shape (pattern) of blocks and streets. After citing the historical process between the period that the reorganizations took place and today by taking the time factor in consideration, current urban patterns of these areas have been compared on two dimensions. The elements that have been detected to play roles on perception of patterns on the first chapter of the thesis; have been expressed theoretically and have been exemplified with comparison through the study areas, on the chapter of field study of the thesis. These elements are; effect of light and shadow on urban patterns, viewing the urban patterns from different distances, angles, scales and the characteristic features of the physical components that can be perceived three dimensionally by wandering inside the urban patterns. While executing this comparison, the techniques and expressions that will reflect the third dimension of urban patterns have been emphasized. Ayvansaray and Samatya fire areas located in Istanbul Historic Peninsula, that has been selected as the sample areas of the thesis are areas that have been reorganized with similar grid typologies on 19th century under same circumstances after fires, according to same regulations with same point of view. These areas that had the same starting point and have maintained a great deal of their street network, block shapes and dimensions up to this day, have been analyzed both in two and three dimensions and have been compared to each other in the scope of the thesis. It has been detected that these areas that partially look alike on second dimension are quite different from each other with their third dimensional features. At the conclusion of the thesis, inferences have been obtained both theoretically and about the study areas. Hereby the importance of three dimensional perception of urban patterns has been emphasized and the benefits that will be provided especially on urban design by analyzing urban patterns on third dimension has been pointed out.