Vertical Gated Communities: Local Experience in a Global City

VERTICAL GATED COMMUNITIES: LOCAL EXPERIENCE

IN A GLOBAL CITY

Prof. Yurdanur DULGEROGLU YUKSEL* Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Taskisla, Taksim, 34 437 Istanbul, Turkey

e-mail: [email protected]

Cagin TANRIVERDI Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Taskisla, Taksim, 34 437 Istanbul, Turkey


Onur DURMUS Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Taskisla, Taksim, 34 437 Istanbul, Turkey


Abstract

In the new millenium, living styles have been more diversified than before. This change has been a relatively new

phenomena observed in the “worlds cities” . The paper attempts to inquire into the new dwelling and settlement

formations, namely the “residences” or “condominiums” at the central city by examining the local socio-

cultural factors, global economics, new actors in the urban markets, international interests for investments in a

world city in order to develop an understanding of the user profile and their housing preferences. Ultimately

such an exploration will contribute to the literature on the link between the world cities and the gated

communities by informing the urban planners and architects, as well as the local authorities, of the residential

trends and to project their decisions for the future urban development plans and housing types. The approach of

the inquiry will be based on a new “residence” quarter created and occupied at the end of the fast-developing

commercial axis of Istanbul, a world city, which is unique in the sense of being the only non-mix-use

development of the decade. Being located on the most active central bussiness district (CBD) of Istanbul, this

“residence” or vertical “gated community” is both affected by the urban transformations that the Metropolitan

Municipality and is affecting the future developments and demand on urban land. Thus the global and the local

tensions in the city at the layers of daily lives of the “residence” dwellers and economic developments occur,

and this issue has to be reconciled and resolved at another layer, requiring possible new uses and new

architecture of the city.

Keywords: urban life style, residences, user profile, world city, urban transformations

Introduction

Concepts- Definitions

Residence: Dictionary meaning of residence is house, place to dwell. The French word is résidence. It

also means “place for the consulate, ambassador, attache or high level bureaucrat (Turkish Language

Agency, 1998). In English language, residence today, carries a similar meaning to that of Latin the

word rezidence is domus which denoted the houses of the rich during the Antique Rome. During A.C.

63, in Rome following the big fire, domuses started to be built by Neron and for the gentry. After the

fire, it has contributed to the transformation of the city. Therefore, in this perspective, Istanbul’s late

20th century high rise elite housing shows similarities to Rome, the ancient capital of Europe (Gümüş,

2009). Beside its dictionary meaning, the word “rezidans” is associated with some architectural

properties, such as distinction, quality and prestige symbol. The contemporary expression of it is

highrises which provide more than one facility and services to its dwellers.

Condominium: Based on the Latin word com (together) and dominia (right to belonging), it means

shared belongings. First initiated in the US, condominiums defines a fragmented tenure of the parts /

units of the apartment, rather than the apartment as a whole. The first condominium built in 1968 in

http://tureng.com/search/turkish%20language%20agency

http://tureng.com/search/turkish%20language%20agency

http://tureng.com/search/distinction

Workshop-24:Common Interest Developments and gated Communities:Conflicts Between

Global and Local Contexts

the US, in Chicago state was the John Honcock building by the firm SOM. During the 21th century,

their utility had shifted from the Office needed in the 50s into housing. Therefore, condominiums are

also known as rezidences (Zengel, Deneri, 2007). They started as Office functions but gained the

function of housing later. The popularity of residences in the world came out especially in the second

half of the 20th century when the life styles changed and the elite preferred them, with the changing

world and global economies. (Zengel, Deneri, 2007).

Change in İstanbul Metropolitan Area by the Effect of Globalization

Changes in Residential Areas in Istanbul

High-Rise Gated Luxurious Housing: The gated communities, whether they are horizontal or vertical,

and whether their location being central or periheral, are “symbols of a new social pattern that may

have profound effects on the nation itself” (Blakely1997:35). Weakening of social ties may cause new

social dilemmas. Walls within the city leads to many smaller and fragmented cities.

Changes in the Work Places and Housing Areas Under the Impact of Globalization: After the 80s

Istanbul started to have new spaces such as “large scale shopping centers” and “large Office blocks”

which are architecturally similar to those in other parts of the world (Hacısalihoğlu, 2000).

In Turkey, especially in the metropolitan areas, some developments have taken place. Most

importantly, CBDs were developing, taking the advantage of the new communication and

transportation technologies and facilities. In this context, big capital holders, and headquarters of

banks, generated high-rise large business centers and “plazas”. For instance, after 1980, in the

extension of Şişli-Mecidiyeköy CBD in Istanbul, large scale business centers emerged to form a new

center (Osmay, 1998). Along the Levent-Maslak Axis, in addition to big firms and headquarters of the

holdings, hotels, recreational and shopping centers were also constructed. Among them are the

business centers such as “İş Kuleleri, Metrocity, Sabancı Center, Yapı Kredi Plaza, Levent Plaza”.

These are mostly intelligent buildings equipped with a variety of electronic systems using high-tech.

The formation of these structures are concentrated along the Levent-Maslak axis of İstanbul signifies

the changing face of the city after 1990s. The spatial change of the business districts in terms of

relocation during the last 20 years, has to do with the concentartion and investment of the capital under

the forces of globalization. The re-structuring was demanded by globally working firms and

companies which required international standards in the CBD. In this context, the change at the center

of the city had to accelerate and modern business centers, financial centers, banks, hotels needed to be

equipped with new technological systems.

Istanbul has increased its links with globalization through communication technology and the re-

organization of the CBDs became a necessity. Today, Maslak is the last area / axis on the CBD

starting with Beşiktaş in Istanbul. The Urban CBD also encloses Zincirlikuyu-Esentepe-Gayrettepe

and Beşiktaş-Balmumcu zones. The urban areas external to the CBD are divided into two parts based

on the geography of Istanbul with regard to separation by the Bosphorus into European and Asian

sides. On the European side, Taksim, Nişantaşı, Şişli, Fulya, Otim and Airport regions; on the Asian

side, Kozyatağı, Altunizade, Kavacık and Ümraniye regions are outside the CBDs.

Change in the Residential Areas in Istanbul During the Last Two Decades: During the post 1980 era,

the processes which gave rise to the re-structuring of Istanbul and link to the world have changed.

Consequently, these have changed the processes which decide on the urban form. Until then, the urban

form was basically decided by the small entrepreneurs who were concerned with the urban rent. Yet,

in the following years, it became a concern of large capital holders. Sell-and build type actors which

produced small scale housing projects were replaced by big public or private firms which produced

large scale housing and mass-housing projects in the housing market (Tekeli,2000). The contractors

and developers of the pre-era and the post-era had different profiles. The bank sector has been



integrated into world market with the liberal economic policies and this made the Istanbul an attraction

construction area (Keyder, 2000). As the capital moved around the geographies of the world with the

globalization period, the high and middle-income groups have developed a market whereby the

provision and demand for luxurious residential areas together with the contractor firms. The local

government, in parallel to the central government has implemented the neo-liberal politics to justify

the legal bases of the spatial development of the luxurious residential areas. Eventually, during the

90s, the number of peripheral sub-municipalities increased and peripheral areas are opened for

residential construction, without abiding by the metropolitan master-plans. The Bosphorus Law of

2960 in 1983 was issued and the hills along the Bosphorus were opened for construction of houses

with security and recreational-sports facilities. Ulus, Etiler and Levent regions as well as Bebek,

Sarıyer, Arnavutköy and Çengelköy were thus filled with luxury housing sites.

Furthermore, with better transportation, in 90s, housing areas with multi-functional large scale projects

were offered for the high income groups (Ekinci, 1994; Marulyalı, 1991). The undesirable aspects of

overurbanization have lowered the urban life quality and this led the high-income groups to leave the

city and move into such luxurious areas developed at the large peripheral land which were equipped

with better social and infrastructural services. (Laçiner, 1996; Öncü, 1999; Erkip, 1999; Özmen 1999;

Salihoğlu, 2000).

In the mid-90s, these peripheral developemnts were followed by the central city, in the most

prestigious CBDs, i.e., in Levent-Maslak axis, high-rise, luxury housing projects were developed and

more increasingly so till today.

Metrocity 2003, designed by Doğan Tekeli ve Sami Sisa architects, on an elongated site on

Zincirlikuyu side of the axis, has 85,000 m2 parking, 52,000 m

2 shopping center, 16.500 m

2 office

block tower, 46,500 m2 one-type housing unit (4 units on every floor) and 10,000 m

2 social facilities

and sports facilities. The complex has 196 housing units. Kanyon 2006, also located on the CBD axis

accomodates cultural, art-related and social services for the residents together with the gren

environment. It is designed by Arup Mühendislik, Jerde Partnership International Inc. and Tabanlıoğlu

architects and constructed on a plot of 250,000 m2. Its programme involves ,26.000 m

2 office space on

25 floors, 17.500 m2 housing, 20.000 m

2 shopping, 9 movie tneatres, restaurants,cafes, bars, fitness

center, open and covered swimming pools and market with 170 shops. The housing block includes

158 housing units. Their types are studio type, house with garden, house with balcony, house with a

terrace, and dublex-type. Their total area ranges between 80 and 380 m 2.

Levent Loft (2008), was used as an office building initially but was re-designed by Tabanlıoğlu

architects as a residence (vertical gated) structure. It has 11 stories one of which is used as an office

floor. The rest is luxury gated housing. The housing units are 144 to provide a variety of alternatives.

Total construction area is 30.000 m2 and house total areas range between 68m

2 and 182 m

2. The

programme involves office space for rent, a lobby, restaurant, sports hall, swimming pool, massage

rooms, hairdresser, japaneese garden, general security,climatization, cleaning systems and garage.

Levent Loft 2 (2009), by Tabanlıoğlu Architectural office offers a variety of floor plans at each of 22

floors, 196 units on a built area of 22.000m2. Another work of the firm, Istanbul Sapphire, started in

2009. It claims to be the tallest building in Europe, with its 261 m height. With its transparent tower

structure, it can be overlook the city-scape and becomes a reference point in the city. It also has 22

different house plan types, ranging between the area of 110 and 1000 m2. The housing of 174 units are

located in the tower on top of the lower shopping floors. The units’ total areas are 15-100 m. and the

ceiling heights are 4 m. There are gardens and balconies in between the housing units. As for impact

on city silhouette, these vertical gated communities use height to compete with each other and to claim

to influence the city scape and the third dimension of the city center.



Figure 1: Floor Plans of Mashattan Project

Historical Evolution of the Residences

The trend initiated in the USA, has spread to the European cities after 1960s. These cities have

competed with each other regarding verticality. For instance, in Barselona, Jean Nouvel built 144 m

high Agbar building, Santiago Calatrava built 190 m high Turning Torso in Malmö. 254 m High

Triumph-Palace in Moscow is among the highest buildings of Europe (Begeç, 2008).

By the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21

st, the world has moved from the industrial

age into information age. As this becomes a turning point in the century, the structure and the location

of the places of work and offices started to change radically. In other words, these new high rise

buildings have passed beyond their use as office and are preferred to be used as homes as well. .

Spatial Organization

These vertical buildings are located on the main arteries of the city and with this characteristics they

impacted on the urban plans (Aksoylar, 2006).



, Figure 2: Location of Maslak, Istanbul’s Skyline

In competition for being the highest, “Burj Dubai” is the highest building in the world with a height of

818 m. The highrises which were intended to be used as office structures, have been converted into

housing and office (mix-use) later in the new millenium, or their use being re-oriented. As a case, the

Burj Dubai, in the process of construction have included the accomodation of hotel, housing and office

together.

During the period between 1931-1947, Rockefeller Center, Lever Building and Seagram in New York,

are the most well-known highrise office towers of this era. However, towards the second half of the

20th century, especially after the World War II, the competition for height has slowed down in the

world due to big economic crisis worldwide. Even Frank Lloyd Wright who claimed that the highrises

were life-threatening gods intended to exploit the lay person on the street, did propose a highrise

structure for Chicago near a plot by the pond with 528 stories (1609m.high) in 1956. This is unfeasible

Project. Even with today’s technology, it is not implemented and remained as an utopia. Yet, he had

implemented another highrise project of his, “Price Tower” in the same year.

The use of base, trunk and head components have been replaced by the primary forms made out of

glass and steel from the ground to the roof. The prisms have come out and the architect Mies van Der

Rohe was a pioneering architect in creating this style (Begeç,2008:12).

Culture Of Residence Nowadays, residences as one of the most recent housing types, are involved in people’s lives as a new

culture and life-style. The main features of culture of residence and its clients are as follow:

Mostly, dwellers of such residences are belonged to high-income individuals and they have

one or more houses before owning the residence.

Generally, the mentioned residences are situated in CBDs of Istanbul.

The residences are purchaised by people who want to live in prestigious quarters.

Chiefly, these residences are close to shopping and recreational centers.

The residences’ environments are clean and well-arranged.

Their users are new rich, well-educated and they prefer living in comfortable and high-quality

houses and environments without becoming distant from centers of the city.

High quality of life is the main parameter affecting these residences’ dwellers and living in

such places has gained a symbolic value. “These residences as a remarkable part of luxurious

houses, which are deemed as a prestige and sembolic capital to their owners, pave the way for

their dwellers to show off (Aksoylar, 2006).



Rise of Culture of Residence

The main factors approving the improvement of this culture are acceleration and mechanization of life

in metropolises and rise of new citizen identity in parallel with globalization. This new trend causes

the city centers to be rebuilt and produces novel housing types and new social and economic status.

Concept of Symbolic Capital

Symbolic capital was first used by French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu. According to Bourdieu,

economic prosperity is not the only type of capital and these non-economic properities are a kind of

investment and they make people feel poweful. People not only seek the answers of economic issues,

but also metaphysical issues such as value, power, honor and reality are the matter of paramount

importance and they spend money for obtaining them (Yirtici, 2005). With this view in mind, wealth

is a source, providing you to own objects in return for paying money. While symbolic capital can be

referred to as the resources available to an individual on the basis of honor, prestige or recognition,

and serves as value that one holds within a culture. A war hero, for example, may have symbolic

capital in the context of running for political office (wikipedia). This may result in a competition

amongst people. It is a well-established fact that every one is naturally involved in such a competition.

The real wealth of individuals depends on their degree of success in this competition. In this sense,

residences are generally used by people who have gained symbolic capital, living in competitive

atmosphere and try to be at the top of hierarchical order. A variety of life preferences, limitation of

land, population increment, willingness to accesibility to facilities and technologic improvements and

being in social high levels are playing an important role in housing selection. As a result of this fact,

high and mixed-use building types have been appeared. These buildings may give services in a variety

of ways such as shopping, recreation, office, house, hotel and cultural facilities to their owners (Bilgin,

2006). With regard to these opportunities, people may reflect their intrinsic character to the luxurious

residences.

Similarities and Differences Between Residences and Low-Rise (Horizontal) Gated

Communities

The main similarities between two housing types are high security, accesibility to social facilities,

luxuriate and services inside houses. The main differences can be found as follow:

Low- rise gated communities are mostly situated in peripheries or far from city centers, while

residences as vertical gated communities(VGC) are generally in city centers or close to them.

Due to the distance of horizontal gated communities(HGC) to the city centers, almost all of

them are autonomous and have their own facilities. On the other hand, residences give chance

to their dwellers to make use of leisure times at city centers.

Arrival at city centers for users of HGC may cause potential problems related to traffic but for

residence dwellers this matter does not exist.

There is a remarkable concept difference between two housing types. While the distance from

city centers is a positive factor in HGCs, for VGCs it is completely opposite since interaction

between centers and these buildings is not negligible.

Generally, residential areas are smaller in city centers compared to suburbs or peripheries.

Consequently, buildings of HGC types are bigger and more spacious than those of VGCs.

Vertical Gated Communities

VGC is a novel housing type in central bussiness districts (CBD) and targets wealthy people.

Residences are protected by strict security measures and give services analogous to hotels. Offices and

recreational areas such as spor centers, shopping malls are commonplace in vicinity of residences.

These houses may lead to higher rate of activities in their quarters even after working hours (Example

of Sapphire, 81 floors). It may offer different housing alternatives such as studio flat, having a garden,

http://tureng.com/search/metaphysical



terrace, balcony and duplex types and they may serve in a number of different architectural

characteristics. For instance, some are designed in one block merely as a house (Mashattan), while

some others are mix- used and include house, office, etc. all together (Levent Loft).

Case Study: Mashattan

Mashattan is one of the most recent mix-used projects in Istanbul. It is placed in a very special

location at the heart of the city center, close to all regions of İstanbul and to the business centers in

Maslak, the most prestigious district of Turkey in terms of business and living. Currently, Mashattan is

the unique luxurious housing project in Maslak, Istanbul’s bussiness center. Mashattan project,

established on a total area of 140 decares,and is comprised of 10 decares of building area and 130

decares of natural environment. Shopping areas, a parking garage with a capacity of 3.400 cars are

included and 3 outdoor and 1 indoor swimming pools is extant in Mashattan Project. Recreational

facilities such as playground, parks, tennis and basketball courts, 3 squash saloons, fitness center,

turkish bathes, beauty center, meeting saloon, cinemas, markets, shopping centers, cafeterias,

restaurants, immediate medical response, pharmacy and kindergarden are included in Mashattan

Project. It is close to means of transportation such as metro and bus rapid transition (BRT). The

project offers its dwellers apartment options starting from 85 m² with the method of modular

architecture and 1817 houses with a variety of housing types in order to make the dwellers feel more

privileged. In the project, there are 5 types of flats with regard to their sizes that they have been

designed in 17 different types. For instance, the number of flats in a story may differ between 1 and

11. Furthermore, the dwellers may have their own arrangements inside their houses. Consequently, the

number of different types has reached 40. For these reasons, Mashattan project is an important sample

of housing preferences of 2000s in Istanbul.

Location of the project, high security, social life and intelligent home system are the main reasons of

the project to be preferred. 24 hours closed circuit camera system (CCTV) make the project and whole

quarter to be watched and controlled. Residences use card pass system while entering the apartments.

Therefore, strangers cannot enter the site. Contractor of the project have 755 flats and shares 1043 flats

with former cooperatives. Totally, 1817 flats have been erected instead of 1798 due to the fact that

some extra flats have been built in installation stories. In December 2009, number of residences are

407 while this amount has increased to 650 in May 2012.

As for disadvantages of the project, a remarkable delay in construction process, deficiency of

connections to some public transport systems, weak social ties and existing heavy industrial center in

vicinity of the project. Approximately, a two-year delay in turn-key process leaded to some problems

such as lack or dearth of full services of recreational, shopping centers and cleanliness. The promised

landscape arrengement is not fully completed yet. A sense of being privileged and distinguished is

generally rampant amongst the residents and it may result in some social problems. Despite its

relatively close distance to metro line, most residents prefer using their private cars and this may cause

a traffic problem as well at the major roads of the district.

Demographic Features of Mashattan Residents

Due to a survey conducted in Mashattan, some demographic information such as age, marital status,

number of child and duration of residing in Mashattan has been obtained. With regard to the

mentioned survey, almost half (%53) of the residents were at the ages between 35-60, 37 percent were

between 25-35 and 6 percent were between 18-25. According to the results of the survey, 54 percent

of the residents were single while the percentage for married people were 46. It was observed that

most of the married residents did not have children at the time. In addition, 58 percent of the residents

had no child and the number of families with more than two children was negligible (%6).



Financial Situation of Mashattan Residents

In general, most of the residents are assigned to high-income individuals. Due to the survey conducted

in 2009, it was revealed that in most cases the residents were landlord. 60 percent of dwellers were

landlord while the rest of them were tenants. Car ownership would be an indicator of financial

situation, therefore, the survey covered the information about it. Percentage of residents with no car

was only 2 percent. 51 percent of them corresponded to residents with one car, 35 percent for two car

owners and 12 percent for 3 or more car owners. Besides, another parameter indicating economic

status is owning house in other areas weather in or out of Istanbul. Percentage of house owners outside

of Istanbul was 25 while that for inside Istanbul was 37. The main Reasons for Mashattan to be

Prefered can be found as follow:

Closeness to residents’ working places: Due to the survey, 62 percent of them was working

close to Mashattan.75 percent of them were living in city center before moving to Mashattan

and living in such places was their preference.

Its prestigious environment

High security: 85 percent of the residents preferred Mashattan mainly for this reason.

Closeness to shopping malls and recreational centers: The survey showed that most residents

(%75) allot their leisure times in vicinity of Mashattan.

Closeness to public transport facilities

Present Situation of Mashattan Project

Remarkable Changes During a Survey Conducted in 2009 and a Current Study (2012)

Change in Housing Prices

At the beginning of the project, the prices were lower. The number of residents was under the

estimated rate by contractor company. Therefore, revenues of the residence had to be shared amongst

fewer dwellers. This resulted in a decrease in demand rate and it caused the prices to be lower. Again

after project completion, the prices increased.

User Profile

It is clear that demanding group of the project is famous artists, wealthy people and people who prefer

to live in such an environment. Some important companies hire flats from these residences for their

foreigner experts and employees. Almost 35 percent of home owners who live in small flats have their

own flats for the first time. 25 percent of the dwellers living in large flats have one or more houses

before moving to Mashattan. İt is observed that residents with children have increased compared to the

first study in Mashattan and administrators expect subsequent increment in this rate after completion

of all recreational facilities. It is worth clearing that an increment in house prices attracted wealthier

clients and the user profile was changed.

Changes in living condition

Some services such as restaurant, one shopping center, coiffeur, pharmacy, dry cleaning center and a

bank have been opened and administrators of the residence estimate a better social life for dwellers.

Despite these improvements the vitality of shopping centers is not remarkable.

Changes in the vicinity of the Project

At the first stage of Mashattan construction, it was the only residential project errected in the area.

Currently, a number of residential projects such as Myhome and Maslak42 are under construction in

vicinity of the Mashattan.



Changes in preference patterns of clients

One of the most important persuasive parameters for dwellers to purchase flats form Mashattan project

was its closeness to city centers. Nowadays, in addition to the mentioned parameter, the demand for

having offices inside the residences has increased. This may result in adding offices to the project in

future development. Another increment in prices is expected in this case. Escalation of prices made

residences more attractive for investors. For instance, almost 80 percent of home-owners in Mashattan

bought the flats in order to sell or hire out.

Forces Which Raise Residence and Gated Community Formation in the Urban Market

and Impact on Istanbul City

Local Socio-cultural: Rising upper-middle class interest in the city centres coupled with their desire to

be close to the entertainment and work places initiated the construction of highrise-mix use

developments in the city center, called residences. The gated communities at the metropolitan

peripheries formed a second circle around the suburbs of the previous period (before the 80s). Their

profile was different in that the second one was mostly composed of larger households than the first

one with children while the first one accomodated younger households composed of unmarried person

or a young couple. Dependancy on car was inevitable in the peripheral settlements while the centrally

located residences / condominiums has had the luxury of being in walking distance to many social and

cultural facilities, as well as to the offices of work.

New actors and International Interests: With the recent advances in information technologies, Istanbul

became popular and this popularity made it a world city. In this develpoping commercial axis of the

city, they found their site. The international Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of the information

technology sector started to occupy offices and were invited to stay at the residences in the area close

to their offices during their stay.

Under the impact of globalization, work and living places have gone through a significant change,

multi-story highrise luxirious gated (vertical) housing. They are called residences and have been

observed to be part of mixed-uses rising as a new house type together with the new business districts.

Such a mixed-use to include housing was demanded by the sponsor on the Levent-Maslak

development axis. The businessman working in the offices on the axis, needed place to live where they

can obtain first class services of a hotel and where they can also work.

The addition of home as another use throughout 24 hours, have increased the vitality of the office

districts which otherwise do not live during the nights. Mainly, the residential parts are located on top

floors of the mixed-use towers, to allow nice view and avoidance of the urban noise congestion and

pollution in the site layout. These would also be contributed to their demand by the potential home-

buyers and tenants. Such use was first implemented on the Metro City on the Levent-Maslak axis in

2003. The number and the height of similar mixed-use towers have increased since then.

In short, the houses for the low-income were planned and constructed in the area including this axis

and the area was zoned to some extent for industry. University campus and the land for military have

formed the boundaries of the industrial zone, as the district was being industrialized by national

politics of growth.

During the post 80s, the re-structuring of the axis was caused by the neo-liberal economic policies of

globalization. It made this area one of the most important CBDs of Istanbul.

Within the Turkish political history, the ruling party obtained success in the local elections in 1984

and have led neo-liberal policies which were the signs of Istanbul’s entry into the process of becoming

an internationally invested city. Since then, the necessary infrastructure and the required built-

environment to appeal to the international capital was being developed and put into the agenda. In this



context, highrises, wide highways, luxury hotels, shopping centers and luxury housing areas are

planned and implemented gradually. The urban space and fabric was formed according to these

programmes. The American cities constituted examples and America supported such policy as an

economic politics (Öktem, 2005, s. 45). Urban change policy can be observed through three main

buildings on Levent – Maslak axis; namely, Sabancı Holding, Tekfen and İş Bankası highrises.

During the 2000s, with the force of the global community; the preferences of people, their needs,

desires, and expectations have also changed and diversified. They started to prefer to live in those

buildings with multi-functions and began to live in residences which symbolized luxurious living and

consumption. This transformation has had influence on Levent-Maslak commercial axis and

consequently, the number of residences on it has increased.

Metrocity, Kanyon and Sapphire are among those. At the very end of this Maslak axis, Mashattan

Project is another one, totally spared for housing (a group of residences) in the new millenium. The

project will be described through the perspective of their dwellers based on interviews with them on a

structured survey. This will contribute to the literature by identifying the profile of the residence

dwellers and their demographic make-up, reasons for preferring to live in residences, as well as their

satisfaction level.

Conclusion: Transformation in CBD and New User Preferences for Housing

It seems that Mashattan gated community Project of the new millenium has become a Pioneer in future

developments on this changed and fast developing CBD of Istanbul. It is paving the way for a new of

residential experience in a locality with global business investments around it. It is something new for

the area. The former residential developments of the late 80s and the 90s were signifying a rather

similar trend in the world of a world city. Yet this one recreates a special and “unmixed” and sterile

living environment in close proximity to the city center. In that way, they remind us of the apartment

house developments of the 1960s; but they are very high to generate a new silhouette and unlike the

apartments of the middle class families for owner-occupancy or tenancy, they are mostly second

houses for the owners purchased for investment, rather than occupancy. The trend of investing in the

real-estate located on maximum paying locations in the metropolitan area is not only providing a

prestigious status to its owners, but also gives the feeling of guarantee for the future in economic

empowerment.

The connectivity between the local communities and earby communities (neighboring ones), with the

whole city, national community and global community, is a measure of performance of a new

settlement concentrated in a city. When read from the Mashattan Project, a master planned

development. This development, as Blakely (1997 p.63) claims, is “market homes in well-planned

environment”, and they provide a total package of modules, to the potential buyers of the houses

unlike other residences along the CBD axis. Although the needs of the community are met, it does not

seem to constitute an organic community. The people to reside in Mashattan was also planned while

the development was initiated, but after the completion, the assigned homebuyers did not actually

dwelt in the area. Instead, the housing units were opened to the public, with few reservations. As the

diversity was actually injected, there was no social tie among the new dwellers as planned in the

beginning.

Fragmentation of neighborhood vicinity is to be observed, since the whole site of Mashattan stands

alone by itself apart from the series of mixed-use high-rises along the Şişli-Büyükdere street. Just by

way of sitting the project alone demarcates the Mashattan Project from the other mixed-use

complexes.



Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Nuh Yapışlar, head of Automotive Auxiliary Equipment Housing Cooperative

for the information about Mashattan Project in February 2009. The information given by Erdem

Köroğlu, real estate consultant of Mashattan Residences in May 2012 is highly appreciated.

References

Aksoylar, G., 2006: Yükselen Kaleler, Birgün, 7-8 (in Turkish)

Begeç, H., 2008: Yükseklik, Yüksek Olma ve Yüksek Yapıların Gelişimi, Ege Mimarlık (in Turkish)

Bilgin, Melike, Karma Kullanımlı Merkezlerin Kent ve Günlük Yaşam İçerisindeki Yeri: İstandul’ dan Örnekler,

Gazi Üniversitesi, 2006 (in Turkish)

Blakely, E.,M.G.Snyder, 1997: The Brookings Institution Press, Washington DC

Deneri, B., 2007: Kondominyumların Çok Katlı Konut Kompleksleri Bağlamında İncelenmesi, Yüksek Lisans

Tezi, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir (in Turkish)

Ekinci, O., 1994: İstanbul’u Sarsan On Yıl (1983-1992), Ankara Kitaplar, İstanbul (in Turkish)

Gümüş, K., 2009: Eski Roma’dan Bugüne Ne Değişti?, Anlayış, 4, 71 – 72 (in Turkish)

Hacısalihoğlu, Y., 2000: Küreselleşme, Mekansal Etkileri ve İstanbul. Ad, İstanbul (in Turkish)

Keyder, Ç., 2000: İstanbul Küresel ve Yerel Arasında. Metis Yayınevi, İstanbul (in Turkish)

Öktem, B., 2005: Küresel Kent Söyleminin Kentsel Mekanı Dönüştürmedeki Rolü, Bağlam Yayınları, İstanbul

(in Turkish)

Özmen, B., 1999: İstanbul’un İçinde İstanbul’a Alternatif, Emlak Haber (in Turkish)

Salihoğlu,Y., 2000: Çağdaş Yaşamlara Çağdaş Yerleşimler, Maison Francaise, 5 (in Turkish)

Tekeli, İ., 2000: Modernite Aşılarken Kent Planlaması. İmge Kitapevi, Ankara (in Turkish)

Yırtıcı, Hakkı, Çağdaş Kapitalizmin Mekansal Örgütlenmesi, İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları,2005 (in

Turkish)

http://tureng.com/search/auxiliary%20equipment

http://tureng.com/search/real%20estate%20investment%20consultant

Vertical Gated Communities: Local Experience in a Global City

Documents

Transcript of Vertical Gated Communities: Local Experience in a Global City