Aspects of Urban Regeneration in Turkey The Zeytinburnu Project

COMPREHENSIVE REGENERATION IN ZEYTINBURNU BY MEANS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPSThe purpose of this project is to demonstratethat comprehensive regeneration could proveviable in physical, economic and socialterms, even under most adverse conditions.Zeytinburnu has comparative advantagesin comprehensive regeneration withinthe metropolitan context. Unique localopportunities exist to capitalize and generatean impetus for total physical change androbust development.The Need for ComprehensiveRegeneration in the Residential Areas ofZeytinburnuThe dominant form of development inZeytinburnu is unauthorized blocks of flatson informally subdivided land. Althoughall technical and engineering services wereavoided at their inception, a minor part ofthis stock experienced legal registration after1984. This does not however make them anysafer. The urban texture characteristics arenarrow and irregular roads, complete coveragein plots, small frontage, 4-5 storey high blockswith high proportion of circulation spaces inthe buildings. This represents not only awaste of space, but also a large pool of risks.When EQ strikes, risks are consistently veryhigh irrespective of whether one is withinthe buildings or out in the street. This is thefundamental reason for a comprehensiveregeneration, rather than a retrofitting policyconfined to singular buildings. Retrofitting ofthe unauthorized stock is legally and sociallynot viable. Another reason for comprehensiveregeneration is the intense need for social andeconomic promotion of households, and theenhancement of community life, collectiveactivities and spaces. It is essential to improvelife standards, introduce variety in economicsectors and employment, and induce socialintegration in Zeytinburnu, besides physicalredevelopment. A comprehensive regenerationapproach will not only discard the idea ofpiecemeal retrofitting operations but alsoinvalidate partial attempts as widening of‘evacuation boulevards’.The Scope of Regeneration1. Integration of the recommendations ofthe EQ Mitigation Plan for Istanbul (EMPI)and the measures envisaged in the subprovincegovernorate Emergency Plan in thepreparation of an overall Master Plan;2. Assessment of likely investmentsand developments in the near future inZeytinburnu, and exploiting such tendenciesto speed up regeneration processes;3. Methods and tools to attract propertyowners and other stake-holders in Partnershipsfor cooperating in local and macro-levelphysical and social improvements in the area;4. Engagement of interest, participation andcontributions of local communities in theprocess, through regular information systems;employment of residents in regenerationactivities, and in special social projects toupgrade employment, incomes, and livingstandards, devised particularly for the lowincome groups in Zeytinburnu.5. Preparation of an explicit ‘organisationalprocedures road-map’ to identify stake-holdersand responsibilities in the coordination ofConsortiums, Development Corporations andlocal Community Partnerships.Targets and Principles1. Residents as owner occupiers and tenantswill not be forced out from their habitats,unless hazard characteristics dictate otherwise;Gentrification will be avoided;241 Buildings990 DwellingsPLOTCOVERAGEBUILDINGDENSITY4500 PersonsExisting Densities2. No free external resources, subsidies orgrants will be assumed available; Rather,as self-financing schemes, it is the propertyowners’ own economic capacities andlong-term credit and debt programmescoordinated under Community Partnerships,that comprehensive regeneration will find itsresources;3. This is a ‘campaign management’ projectto create a climate of total mobilization,involving each and every individual andgroup of the community in mitigation efforts;4. Through the Community Partnerships,property owners will become share-holders inthe Development Corporations, Consortiums,Urban Spine enterprises, and other incomegenerating bodies in Zeytinburnu;5. The redevelopment will lead to highersafety and quality in urban environments;to social organisations that allow collectivemanagement of larger urban areas, anda new representation system in the cityadministration;6. The model devised here with its physical,organizational, financial and legal apparatuswill be replicable in other areas in Istanbuland Turkey.