Urban coexisting habitats in Karaköy: A more-than-human approach to the city

This research explores ways for Istanbul to become a city with higher biodiversity in the future through a more-than-human approach by investigating existing 'Urban Coexisting Habitats' in Karakoy, a district with low urban landscape and biodiversity rates, and envisioning future habitats of cohabitation. The first chapter of the research focuses on the relationship between the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and urbanization and highlighting the responsibilities of architects in this crisis. The potentials of urban landscapes in terms of biodiversity are explored, opportunities for hosting multiple species in different urban landscapes are examined, and the importance of urban landscapes with high levels of spontaneous biodiversity in urban vacant areas is emphasized. Starting from the idea that the human species is a biological species that can exist under certain ecological conditions, it is highlighted that the transformation of cities and urban landscapes through a more-than-human approach for cities to remain livable in the long term for multiple species, including human is inevitable. In the second chapter of the research, ruderals, which are spontaneously growing and resilient plants on ruins in Karakoy, are examined. The ways in which existing ruins transform into habitats for these plants are explored, and their contributions to the urban ecosystem and biodiversity are investigated. In the third chapter, based on the data collected from these studies, speculations are generated on new areas in Karakoy where ruderals, pollinators attracted by ruderals, birds living in the city, street animals, and humans coexist using construction waste materials and adopting a more-than-human architectural perspective.