A Socio-Cultural Evaluation of The Architectural and Environmental Effects of Landscape Arrangements in Istanbul with a Survey Study

In the recent years landscaping and attempts to increase green areas in Istanbul, a metropolis with a population of 15 million inhabitants, increased by the growing efforts of municipalities. Also, in the recent years, a tulip festival is celebrated every April and the city streets, parks, green areas are decorated with different colored tulips in order to create breathtaking sceneries for the inhabitants and visitors of Istanbul. Similar to the tulip fest, every year on April one of the world’s largest flowerbeds is prepared on the touristic Sultanahmet Square. Besides these, in an attempt to create new and beautiful green areas and vertical gardens, disconnected and improper landscaped areas can be found near underpasses and highways. On one hand greening and landscaping efforts are increasing in Istanbul by the day; on the other hand, major gathering spots for the citizens of Istanbul, such as the Taksim Square, lack the same efforts are turned into ugly concrete lots. It is also gravely conflicting that there is not a single tree on the touristic Istiklal Avenue. Although, major streets and highways all around the city are decorated with flowers and vertical gardens, inhabitants do wonder what else could been achieved with all the money spent towards landscaping. The increasing number of flowers and greenery in parks, gardens, and green areas, not only improve the city in an architectural sense and allow this overpopulated and traffic plagued city to breathe a little, but also offer its inhabitants new places to socialize and recreate. In this study, surveys will be conducted on the landscaping work done in different parts of Istanbul and the results will be evaluated.

Büyük bir metropol olan ve nüfusu 15 milyonu aşan İstanbul’da özellikle son yıllarda peyzaj çalışmalarına ağırlık verilmiş, yeşil alanların artırılması için belediyeler büyük gayret göstermiştir. Son yıllarda her Nisan ayında lale festivali yapılmakta ve şehrin sokakları, parkları, yeşil alanları renk renk laleler ile donatılarak İstanbul’da yaşayanları, ziyaretçileri memnun eden görsel şölenler olmaktadır. Aynı şekilde şehirde en önemli turistlik meydan olan Sultanahmet meydanında her sene Nisan ayında dünyanın en büyük çiçek halılarından biri hazırlanmaktadır. Bunların dışında İstanbul’ da alt geçit, karayolları üzerindeki bazı peyzaj çalışmalarında zorlamalar olduğu ve güzel yeşil alanlar, dikey bahçeler yaratmak adına tutarsız, karmaşık alanlar yaratıldığı gözlemlenmektedir. İstanbul’da bir yandan yeşil alanlar artırılmaya çalışılıp, peyzaj çalışmaları da hız kazanırken, Taksim meydanı gibi, adeta İstanbul halkının toplanma, buluşma meydanı olan bir alanda neredeyse hiç peyzaj çalışması olmaması, çirkin beton bir alan olması da tepki çekmektedir, aynı şekilde en turistlik caddelerden biri olan İstiklal Caddesi’nde neredeyse hiç ağaç olmaması da büyük çelişkidir. Şehrin diğer sokaklarında, ana alterlerde rengarenk çiçekler, bitkiler çok beğenilirken, halkta bunlara harcanan bütçe ile neler yapılabilirdi diye düşünceler olmakta, tutarsız bir yaklaşım ortaya çıkmaktadır. Parkların, bahçelerin, yeşil alanların, rengarenk çiçeklerin artması kente mimari açıdan büyük katkıda bulunurken, aynı zamanda çok yoğun nüfus ve trafik problemi olan şehre nefes aldırmakta, insanların sosyalleşmeleri, rahatlamaları için fırsatlar yaratmaktadır. Çalışmada İstanbul’un farklı özelliklerdeki bölgelerinde yaşayan halk ile şehirdeki peyzaj çalışmaları üzerine anketler yapılarak, sonuçlar değerlendirilmiştir. In the recent years landscaping and attempts to increase green areas in Istanbul, a metropolis with a population of 15 million inhabitants, increased by the growing efforts of municipalities. Also, in the recent years, a tulip festival is celebrated every April and the city streets, parks, green areas are decorated with different colored tulips in order to create breathtaking sceneries for the inhabitants and visitors of Istanbul. Similar to the tulip fest, every year on April one of the world’s largest flowerbeds is prepared on the touristic Sultanahmet Square. Besides these, in an attempt to create new and beautiful green areas and vertical gardens, disconnected and improper landscaped areas can be found near underpasses and highways. On one hand greening and landscaping efforts are increasing in Istanbul by the day; on the other hand, major gathering spots for the citizens of Istanbul, such as the Taksim Square, lack the same efforts are turned into ugly concrete lots. It is also gravely conflicting that there is not a single tree on the touristic Istiklal Avenue. Although, major streets and highways all around the city are decorated with flowers and vertical gardens, inhabitants do wonder what else could been achieved with all the money spent towards landscaping. The increasing number of flowers and greenery in parks, gardens, and green areas, not only improve the city in an architectural sense and allow this overpopulated and traffic plagued city to breathe a little, but also offer its inhabitants new places to socialize and recreate. In this study, surveys will be conducted on the landscaping work done in different parts of Istanbul and the results will be evaluated.