Content uploaded by Funda Bas Bütüner
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Funda Bas Bütüner on Oct 01, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
DIFLAWORLD
CONGRESS 2OI9 OSLO, NORWAY
1B-20 SEPT 20.19 NLA 90 AR
r929-20r9
www.iflo2Ol9.com
#iflo2Ol9
@| N"hn,"a,k,ek,ersr.,enns ffi $'ffi****
Lost Common Grounds: Reflections on Ankara's
Landscape
Ankara, beingthe capitalof Turkish Republic, has coped with dramatic landscape
changes in various contexts and scales. conflicting with the hlgh per capita green
space declared by the municipalities, Ankara has lost its characteristic landscape
fabric. Both the natural and urban landscape of the city have been destroyed
caused by the rapid urbanization after 1960s and recently progressed spatial
interventions.
considering landscape as a milieu forculturaI and natural interaction, change in
landscape fabric is inevitable as a usual outcome of urbanization. However, in
the case of Ankara, nature and landscape have been extremely undervalued in
urban development strategies and implementations. Valleys and waterlines,
which shaped the distinctive topography of the city, and the fertile lands, which
identified the continuous greenery at the east -vineyards, truck gardens and
orchards- manifested the landscape fabric of the city by the mid-20th century.
some of these natural resource spaces also presented the renowned common
ground of Ankara where urbanites met, and enjoyed the landscape in the first
ha lf of the 20th century.
Unfortunately, after that time, nature-culture interactlon has dramatically
changed. Certain valleys in the city and continuous greenery along the Hatip
Creek at the east were absorbed by squatter houses; and later, became
favourable housing construction plots in the city. Furthermore, streams and
creeks, causing sanitary problems or flooding, were partially covered or
canalized, leaving insignificant traces in the city. Apart from the natural assets,
designed and planned landscape ofthe city has been also undervalued. certain
urban parks of the early republican period and Atatilrk Forest Farm (AFF) -the
agricultural and recreational modern landscape of the 1930s and 1940s- have
been partially deformed with impulsive decisions and spatial implementations.
329
--!
Thus, this study intends to trace the lost landscape fabric of the city, and also
point out the still ongoing landscape destruction process by arguing on several
patterns of changes: razed urban nature, undervalued heritage landscape and
deformed urban parks. Emphasizing different aspects of change, each pattern
exposes not only the demolished landscape fabric, but also the lost common
grounds of Ankara.
Dr. Funda Bag Btit0ner
Middle East Technical University, Ankaro, Turkey
330