ICONIC BUILDINGS IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY

Neoliberal globalization policies have led to the international mobility of capital rather than its accumulation at certain points. Architecture is actively involved in the system in which the global flow of people, money and information is intense. Cities, which are the places of capitalism, have assumed new functions and missions. With their finance, consumption and entertainment centers, cities compete with each other, resulting in large-scale and irreversible changes in urban landscapes. Based on the concept of “brand city” that has emerged lately, cities acquire artificial images to attract more and more attention. The most commonly used items to this end are iconic buildings, which reflect the urban identity and are unique in form and meaning. This raises the question of how urban sustainability and iconic buildings can coexist. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the concepts of urban sustainability, brand city and iconic buildings. The study addresses Zaha Hadid's Antwerp Port House to assess the role of iconic buildings in urban sustainability. Iconic buildings are the indispensable elements of the system and are considered together with the existing values. They can, therefore, be an important tool in maintaining urban wealth. Creating original and unique designs while preserving the existing values can be a good solution to cities that look more and more alike as the years go by.