Pelin Bolca, assistant professor (RTD-A) affiliated with Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST) of Politecnico di Torino (POLITO) in Italy. She is PhD in Architecture and Landscape Heritage program at POLITO and holds MSc Degree on Architecture for the Restoration and Echancement of Heritage from the same university. She has collaborated with École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in Paris as an invited researcher. Since 2018, she is teaching assistant of ‘Digital History’ and ‘History of Architecture and Heritage’ courses of the master program in POLITO, and yearly organized International Summer School entitled ‘’Cultural Heritage in Context. Digital Technologies for the Humanities” organized by POLITO and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her PhD thesis is entitled ‘’Reconsidering the Western town planning approach for Historic Cities and Memories in Mediterranean Region: The Agence Prost from Paris to İstanbul (1910s-1950s)’’. Her research area focuses on the knowledge exchange between European and non-European contexts in the heritage-led decision processes that affects tangible and intangible cultural heritage of historic cities and the impacts on urban memory and urban identity of their inhabitants under the framework of conducting historical research by using digital tools.
The year 1923 was a turning point for Turkey. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after a long war... more The year 1923 was a turning point for Turkey. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after a long war brought in Republican ideology centered on economic self-sufficiency and modern, secular values. With the proclamation of the Republic, the reconstruction of war-torn historical cities became a priority, to spread the new ideology and meet the country’s industrial needs. The new authorities encouraged municipalities to consult with Western European architects, many of whom were invited in the first years of the Republic. Their knowledge of the latest technologies and modern urban planning principles in Europe were to be applied to reconstruct Anatolian towns and villages according to the modern ideology. To facilitate this cooperation, the Society of Studies for the Reconstruction of İzmir was established in Paris in 1922. It brought together French experts and Turkish authorities during the planning process of Western Anatolian cities. The most prominent French consultants were Paris-based Henri Prost and Rene Danger, working together in France after having gained long-term experience in French colonies. This paper, firstly, highlights the mobility of these French professionals in Western Anatolia by tracing the history of their planning studies. Secondly, framing the political tension between the two countries, it aims to investigate whether the perspectives of the Turkish authorities associated the guest French architects and planners with colonial France. Lastly, it focuses on the post-war reconstruction process of historical cities in Western Anatolia, discussing the results of the interaction of the decision-makers and focusing on İzmir, Manisa, and Uşak.
In 1931, the last International Colonial Exposition of the world was opened in Paris. It was one ... more In 1931, the last International Colonial Exposition of the world was opened in Paris. It was one of a series of colonial expositions that were held in France in the 1920s and 1930s, as France sought to reassert its colonial presence in the wake of World War I. In the opening ceremony, French actors underlined their particular attention on the conservation of local cultures in French colonies, and how they cooperated with colonized community rather than assimilate them since the beginning of 20 th century. In his opening speech, statements such as ''there is no racial class difference'' and ''we must learn to adapt to diversity'' were strongly underlined by Marshal Lyautey in charge of the Moroccan Protectorate. In the European atmosphere of interwar period, this stance of French colonialist actors was a sort of justification for their continuous colonialist approaches. However, they have received only a few objections by French society in 1930s. Ironically, Marshal Lyautey's colonialist approach was remembered again during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Almost a century after his performance, which he pretended to promote cultural diversity, his statue in central Paris was vandalized.
Within last decade, conservation development plans have been fall under the influence of politica... more Within last decade, conservation development plans have been fall under the influence of political and economic interests for many countries. Turkey is a significant example with İstanbul phase. With the foundation of the Republic in 1923, the authorities had expectations for the city planning according to the modernization rules. In 1936, Taksim Square has been shaped as a Republican Square by Henri Prost. Gezi Park was the main physical integrity to mark its identity. In 1950, the political policy was changed and the conservation development plans for the area has been the sign of the usage as a political space to the reflection of the political alterations. The notion of ‘Cultural Heritage of the Republic’ of the area is under discussion in Turkish urban agenda. It has been transformed by the planning decisions taken over time. The focus of the paper is to examine the transformation dynamics, and to discuss the link between the changes on its identity, and its place on urban memory.
Koç University’s Department of Archaeology and History of Art (ARHA)Graduate Research Symposium: “Brave New Worlds: Digital Technologies & the Study of the Past in Anatolia, the Mediterranean, and the Near East,”, 2017
The year 1923 was a turning point for Turkey. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after a long war... more The year 1923 was a turning point for Turkey. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after a long war brought in Republican ideology centered on economic self-sufficiency and modern, secular values. With the proclamation of the Republic, the reconstruction of war-torn historical cities became a priority, to spread the new ideology and meet the country’s industrial needs. The new authorities encouraged municipalities to consult with Western European architects, many of whom were invited in the first years of the Republic. Their knowledge of the latest technologies and modern urban planning principles in Europe were to be applied to reconstruct Anatolian towns and villages according to the modern ideology. To facilitate this cooperation, the Society of Studies for the Reconstruction of İzmir was established in Paris in 1922. It brought together French experts and Turkish authorities during the planning process of Western Anatolian cities. The most prominent French consultants were Paris-based Henri Prost and Rene Danger, working together in France after having gained long-term experience in French colonies. This paper, firstly, highlights the mobility of these French professionals in Western Anatolia by tracing the history of their planning studies. Secondly, framing the political tension between the two countries, it aims to investigate whether the perspectives of the Turkish authorities associated the guest French architects and planners with colonial France. Lastly, it focuses on the post-war reconstruction process of historical cities in Western Anatolia, discussing the results of the interaction of the decision-makers and focusing on İzmir, Manisa, and Uşak.
In 1931, the last International Colonial Exposition of the world was opened in Paris. It was one ... more In 1931, the last International Colonial Exposition of the world was opened in Paris. It was one of a series of colonial expositions that were held in France in the 1920s and 1930s, as France sought to reassert its colonial presence in the wake of World War I. In the opening ceremony, French actors underlined their particular attention on the conservation of local cultures in French colonies, and how they cooperated with colonized community rather than assimilate them since the beginning of 20 th century. In his opening speech, statements such as ''there is no racial class difference'' and ''we must learn to adapt to diversity'' were strongly underlined by Marshal Lyautey in charge of the Moroccan Protectorate. In the European atmosphere of interwar period, this stance of French colonialist actors was a sort of justification for their continuous colonialist approaches. However, they have received only a few objections by French society in 1930s. Ironically, Marshal Lyautey's colonialist approach was remembered again during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Almost a century after his performance, which he pretended to promote cultural diversity, his statue in central Paris was vandalized.
Within last decade, conservation development plans have been fall under the influence of politica... more Within last decade, conservation development plans have been fall under the influence of political and economic interests for many countries. Turkey is a significant example with İstanbul phase. With the foundation of the Republic in 1923, the authorities had expectations for the city planning according to the modernization rules. In 1936, Taksim Square has been shaped as a Republican Square by Henri Prost. Gezi Park was the main physical integrity to mark its identity. In 1950, the political policy was changed and the conservation development plans for the area has been the sign of the usage as a political space to the reflection of the political alterations. The notion of ‘Cultural Heritage of the Republic’ of the area is under discussion in Turkish urban agenda. It has been transformed by the planning decisions taken over time. The focus of the paper is to examine the transformation dynamics, and to discuss the link between the changes on its identity, and its place on urban memory.
Koç University’s Department of Archaeology and History of Art (ARHA)Graduate Research Symposium: “Brave New Worlds: Digital Technologies & the Study of the Past in Anatolia, the Mediterranean, and the Near East,”, 2017
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