Tarlabaşı, Istanbul: a case study of unsustainable urban transformation

Urban transformation projects, such as the municipally sponsored renewal in Tarlabaşı, Istanbul, often undermine historic, social, cultural, and economic sustainability. This study reveals that such initiatives can dismantle deeply rooted communities, displace thousands of residents, and alter the urban fabric from its original 16th-century character to a modern, homogeneous landscape. Using historic records, maps, plans, and photographs, researchers demonstrate how Tarlabaşı's transformation—replacing narrow streets and diverse buildings with glass-and-steel condominiums—has destabilized adjacent communities and exacerbated homelessness in central Istanbul. The findings highlight the broader impact of similar projects on the sustainability of historic urban areas.

Uysal, M. L. T., & Korostoff, N. (2015). Tarlabaşı, Istanbul: a case study of unsustainable urban transformation. The Sustainable City X, 1, 417–426. https://doi.org/10.2495/sc150361