CULTURE-LED URBAN REGENERATION: ISTANBUL AS THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2010

University : İstanbul Technical University
Institute : Institute of Science and Technology
Science Programme : Interdisciplinary Areas
Programme : Urban Design
Supervisor : Assist. Prof. Dr. İpek AKPINAR
Degree Awarded and Date : MSc – June 2007

ABSTRACT

CULTURE-LED URBAN REGENERATION: ISTANBUL AS THE EUROPEAN
CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2010

Amber NİKSARLIOĞLU

“Culture” has been defined in different ways throughout the historical continuum. To
date, taken together, the mass of knowledge obtained through education and any output
made by the individuals and/or the civilization itself were defined as culture. However, as
of today the culture is being perceived in a much different way than it was in the past.

This concept, once served as a means of creating segregations between those who did and
did not possess the culture, is today at the core of the urban regeneration. The efforts
towards regenerating the cities through cultural activities, not limited to local and/or
economical improvements, also serve as a tool of fixing the segregation problem.
The scope of this research is to examine the culture-led urban regeneration. In order to
meet the objectives of the research, the relevant theoretical definitions were studied and
internalized to provide the blueprint for studying the probable reflections of the 2010
European Cultural Capital İstanbul on the city itself.

The study, based on the European Capital of Culture program and experiences on
previous European Capitals of Culture anticipates that the project could bring
permanent infrastructural benefits to the city with the efforts of the local administration
that is likely to play a key role in planning ahead the cultural year from a strategic
sustainability perspective.

Keywords: Culture, multiculturalism, cultural capital, culture-led urban regeneration,
cultural city/capital, competitive cities

Science Code: 601.05.02