Distant Cities: Sold, Unhabited
This week, we start our tour of cities by travelling around the cities that are attempted as crazy projects.
Turkey in the Canal Istanbul Project
The book "Turkey in the Canal Istanbul Project", the most comprehensive publication on Canal Istanbul, the king and pinnacle of crazy projects in Turkey, has been published under the editorship of Fuat Ercan and Tuğçe Sezer. We open the programme with the book on the realisation of mega projects in the north of Istanbul, their effects on natural life and cultural heritage, and the resistance against them.
https://baglam.com/home/book/kanal-istanbul-projesindeki-turkiye
City Manufacturing
Cihan Uzunçarşılı Baysal's chapter in the book titled "Manufacturing Cities: From New Cities Around the World to "Kanal Istanbul" Yenişehir" deals with the background and fate of the manufacturing processes of new crazy cities, new Noah's Ark like Mukaab, which we discussed last week.
https://baglam.com/home/book/kanal-istanbul-projesindeki-turkiye
DeforestedCities
Alexandra Stevenson from the New York Times recently visited Forest City, one of the cities mentioned by Cihan, and wrote about her observations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/business/forest-city-country-garden.html?smid=nytcore-android-share&utm_source=pocket_shared
Building Batteries
These ambitious construction companies, whose effects on cities and damages on nature are problematic have been trying different methods to green clean themselves. The last of these is the attempt to generate electricity by using the potential energy of gravity.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-30/chicago-based-architectural-firm-looks-to-turn-to-buildings-into-batteries?cmpid=BBD053024_CITYLAB&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=240530&utm_campaign=citylabdaily
Energy from the Cemetery
While constructors transform their buildings into batteries, Valencia is searching the Requiem in Power by turning its cemeteries into solar farms.
Energy Poverty
Whether it is produced from buildings or graveyards, the reality of energy inequality and poverty does not change. The Association of Spatial Justice documents the landscape of energy poverty in Istanbul with video interviews in Şahintepe, Hisarüstü, Üsküdar and Kadıköy.
Postane Book
Speaking of the Association for Spatial Justice, let's not forget the book of its sister organisation Postane, published by Liana Kuyumcuyan and Murat Tülek. With their archaeological study of the Post Office building, we trace the change of a neighbourhood, its people and socio-economic life beyond a building.
Cinema Bergama
Another archaeological study is carried out by Yücel Tunca. Through his great work, we explore the history of Bergama cinemas by focusing on the Bolshevik Cavid Bey via various multimedia tools.
sinemabergama.com
Archaeology of Solidarity
The last stop of our weekly tour is the book I edited, Solidarity Archaeology. The solidarity experiences compiled by the graduates of the European School of Politics from their own regions, environments and experiences have been published by Doğan Kitap. Keep it in mind if you want to be inspired and find hope.
https://www.dogankitap.com.tr/kitap/memleket-manzaralari
You can watch the full episode here:
Kültürhane City Observatory is published with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Thanks for reading Kent Rasathanesi! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.