DESCRIPTION / SCALE - URBAN CONTINUITIVITIES / OPPORTUNITIES

The Dilemma of Kadıköy: A Fragment of the City in the Perception of Metropolis-Summer Resort

*When we begin to think about Kadıköy, while it is not easy to define the urban space at a glance, we believe that the expression "a summer resort in the process of becoming a metropolis" is not inappropriate. We believe that this definition, while having a disturbing aspect, also reflects our awareness that Kadıköy still offers the possibility of intervention for a unique and high-quality urban space, and we want to begin by suggesting that it remain in mind as an important framework-setting definition in our approach, which will be detailed throughout the narrative.

A Once Scaled Coastal Settlement * Passages / Gardens / Meadows

Although today's Kadıköy is experiencing identity confusion due to intense transformation and migration, it describes a holistic urban segment that diversifies layer by layer at the neighborhood level and constantly strives to connect with the coast. The life that unfolds along the 21km coastline, starting from the Haydarpaşa/Waterfront axis and continuing to Bostancı, and the way this life opens up nerve endings connecting to the inner neighborhoods in short segments, is perhaps still the most important defining characteristic of the 'Kadıköy Scale'. These strong nerve endings/urban axes in the coastal-city structure have enriched the urban space by establishing relationships with various micro-urban segments such as passages, gardens, and meadows since the days when Kadıköy was a scaled coastal settlement. This holistic/intricate urban life, despite all the uncontrolled transformation, somehow preserves spatial memory and defines a unique urban identity.