Conference Presentations by SEDA N U R ALKAN
The skyscraper, as arguably the most distinctive building type in architectural history, is one o... more The skyscraper, as arguably the most distinctive building type in architectural history, is one of the most pivotal cultural phenomena in the historiography of modernities. It is contextual so that the definition of skyscraper changes accordingly. Thus, what is implied by the skyscraper is an architectural type which has different factual engagements and meanings. Its emergence in Chicago and New York at the end of the 19th century was shaped by economical, technological and social explanations. Corporate capitalism along with centralized business operations; new materials, industrialized manufactures and new building technology; rise of managerial middle class and change in working spaces and environment are the fundamental/indispensable facts for the conceptualization of the skyscraper. Beyond these facts, there is yet another fold that lies more ambiguously: the skyscraper problematization within the city context, which needs to be understood, in order to manipulate and to speculate this problem. From the beginning until today, " how to build tall " has been one of the crucial questions during plan, design and construction phases. Even though the technological developments in materials and methods of constructions-elevator, steel, skeleton system-have provided opportunities to build taller, the desire of erecting the tallest skyscraper has constantly been the problem of height. The debates on the problem of height have mostly concentrated on skyscrapers' effects on silhouette and historical texture of city. However, skyscrapers have not only generated 'the problem of height' but also 'the problem of bigness'. Accordingly, in Istanbul, as an urban strategy, there is not an explicit or regulatory definition about skyscrapers in zoning laws, legislations and plans. Lacking of definition in zoning plans has generated the tactic that creates legal loophole for the opportunity of skyscrapers erecting without considering urban potentials and/or limits. Therefore, this paper is to scrutinize this issue by using Rem Koolhaas' definition of " the problem of bigness " in terms of its physical characteristics and interrelated relationships with city in his S, M, L, XL; and Michel de Certeau's definition of " strategy and tactic " in terms of " scientific rationalities " and " urban will and opportunity " in his The Practice of Everyday Life. The scope of this study is to establish the fact that there are not any specific zoning regulation mechanisms about skyscrapers. Moreover, the current zoning laws, legislations and plans are not also satisfactory, and this problem should also be considered by multiple decisive mechanisms to define and design skyscrapers as the problem of bigness. The aim of this essay is to investigate how the zoning regulation mechanisms-zoning laws, legislations and plans-as the urban scientific rationalities and the urban opportunities encounter and generate solutions for the skyscrapers in Istanbul while considering them as the problem of bigness in scope of the filters: 'design objectives', 'product of technology', 'sites of construction' and 'real estate developments'. In an attempt to achieve this aim, Sabancı Center, Metrocity Millenium and Kanyon, which are the distinguished skyscrapers in Büyükdere Avenue, Istanbul, are assigned as case studies.
Papers by SEDA N U R ALKAN
Gazi Üniversitesi Mühendislik-Mimarlık Fakültesi Dergisi, Nov 29, 2023
ITU Press, Press of the Istanbul Technical University
International journal of energy production and management, Jul 31, 2021
WIT Transactions on the Built Environment, Nov 16, 2020
Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, 2019
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make a comprehensive research on serenders including obse... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make a comprehensive research on serenders including observation, determination and documentation of the architectural details of serender. Moreover, computer simulation-based performance evaluation is also planned to be applied in order to make a contribution to architectural, social, cultural and historical sustainability of serender. Design/methodology/approach The study employs strategies based on qualitative research techniques and methods. In order to clarify the architectural details of serender structures, literature review and a case study analysis are conducted. Findings Within the scope of this paper, the early findings of this ongoing research, which are about the architectural details, are presented regarding the regional characteristics as borders. This part of the study presents the determination of all the original architectural details of serender. Originality/value Serenders in Rize, Turkey, have original, architectural, cult...
AMPS New York: Education, Design and Practice – Understanding skills in a Complex World, 2020
This paper presents a case study about 3rd year architectural design studio work based on mixed u... more This paper presents a case study about 3rd year architectural design studio work based on mixed use building design in an urban context. The aim of the study is to develop architecture students’ understanding of design by introducing them to the integration of research and practice upon a single platform where they discover the interconnection and interrelationship between different fields. As the teaching and learning environment, principles of integrated education system were adapted to the architectural design studio process in order to keep the students engaged in the multifaceted structure of a complex design problem, making use of various resources and experiences. Four project sites for the design problem were picked along Istiklal Street in Beyoglu, Istanbul, Turkey; a district with a complex nature which includes contemporary as well as historical elements, a wide range of building functions, and an immersive social and cultural structure. The general frame of the building program was laid out to consist of functions derived from the existing environment. Accordingly, three main points of emphasis in the design process were introduced to the students through lectures and case studies: Infill design in an urban heritage area, prefabricated modular structures in construction, and sustainability in urban environment. Additional exercises such as a design vignette, workshops on sketching or model making, and an opinion survey were also utilized in this experimental studio.
As the outcome of the study, the final proposal of infill design as the reflection of each student’s design approach was assessed in order to test the compatibility of the integrated education approach in an architectural design studio. Additionally, the development of the students’ awareness in an urban setting stimulated by the characteristics of their sites was observed throughout the design process.
Industrial Revolution has numerous effects on not only big cities but also developing cities’ tra... more Industrial Revolution has numerous effects on not only big cities but also developing cities’ transformation processes. In Rize, process has been started with Karadeniz Sahil Yolu (Black Sea Seaside Highway), which proposes an infill project in coastline of the city for an international route, in 1990’s. It aims to design an international connection point between cities throughout Black sea and Istanbul. As both national and international route, has affected Rize regarding historical, cultural and architectural identity. After the project a new borderline has been defined by this route that broke off the relationship between sea and center. On the seaside, public spaces such as pedestrian roads and bike-roads, cafes and picnic areas are taken places while city center is housed in the other side (the old city border). This study aims to examine the relationship between the city center and sea regarding public spaces before and after the construction route.
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Conference Presentations by SEDA N U R ALKAN
Papers by SEDA N U R ALKAN
As the outcome of the study, the final proposal of infill design as the reflection of each student’s design approach was assessed in order to test the compatibility of the integrated education approach in an architectural design studio. Additionally, the development of the students’ awareness in an urban setting stimulated by the characteristics of their sites was observed throughout the design process.
As the outcome of the study, the final proposal of infill design as the reflection of each student’s design approach was assessed in order to test the compatibility of the integrated education approach in an architectural design studio. Additionally, the development of the students’ awareness in an urban setting stimulated by the characteristics of their sites was observed throughout the design process.