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1. Compendium of the Lectures Reflecting on the Discussion Topic of the Paper

The first lecture providing the needed information to develop an argument related to

the previous lecture and to the course topic has been given by Leyla Etyemez Ciplak. The

concept of conserving the cities having "urban historic layers in a continual historical

stratification", and the integration process can be regarded as the main topic of the lecture

(Ciplak). Has started by giving the definition of historic cities, Ciplak has given place for

Washington Charter guiding for the conservation of historic towns and urban areas

subsequently. After showing relevant examples for such towns and areas, she has been

explained multi-layered historical cities by listing the particular aspects. After explaining the

steps for "successful conserving and integrating the evidences of the historical stratification"

which can be given as respectively diachronic analysis, the assessment of layers and the

assessment of contemporary urban context relations, she discussed integration in an expanded

content by providing ascriptions of aspects of integration.

Given by Yigit Ozar, the second lecture reflecting the paper has provided a perspective

related to the actual process of urban conservation and legal issues in Turkey. The adverse

impacts of the changing urban economic policies on the conservation process of Istanbul can

be taken into account as the main topic of the lecture. Having multiple historical layers, the

City has been subjected to the act of destructions causing astringent archeological loss. Before

starting to explain the conservation process of the City by giving related chronological

examples, Ozar asserts that "A multi-layered city has been continued to change, the protection

practice is in the case of being an exam"(Ozar). He mentions the structures made to pave the

way for capitals in the Earlier Period of the Turkey Republic, and the efforts of legal

administrative regulation after the 1950s (Ozar). Followed by the destructions and

archeological loss case in the Menderes Period, the lack of protection policies and the

oblivious behaviors of the present governments have perpetually been emphasized during the
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lecture. After explaining how urban rents developed with the concept of Neoliberalism has

screened the protection, Ozar says that Istanbul has site areas given place in the UNESCO list

as the city has not only the central historic core of Byzantium but also the archeological layers

of the Roman city. Then, he has been continued his lecture by discussing the condition of

such archeologically important areas and legal issues.

2. The Relation between Discussion and in-class Lectures

Started with answering particular questions in which the following ones are asked that

“Is the past important according to you? Why? Why do we conserve the ‘historical built

environment’? Do we have to?” the in-class lectures have been given with a concern of

attributing to the awareness of architecture students about the concept of conservation in an

extensive scope (Slide 2 Henry). Through discussing the readings written by Lowenthal,

'when a clear distinction between present and past' was defined and 'a sense of respect to

cultural heritage was developed' have been understood. In respect to order, the terminology

acquired from Orhanbaşılı's book, the primary principles, and the International Institutions

have been given during the lectures by integrating related case studies. In this stage of the in-

class lectures, the parallelism with Çıplak's lecture can be observed in means of the discussed

topic called integration in an expanded content. According to Çıplak, to assess the integration

of historical stratification is necessitated for the conservation of a historical city having multi-

layered character, while Henry has given the definition of integration as that "A historic

building is a relic from the past and holds details and information from the past; this is its

historic integrity"(Slide 31 Henry). Physical integrity, structural integrity, design integrity,

aesthetic integrity, the integrity of the building within its setting and context, and professional

integrity of the conservation team are the subtitles that have been given by Henry, whereas

Çıplak has defined each of them by giving ascriptions of aspects of integration. In this

concern, there must be no harm to assert that through mentioned lectures, both Henry and
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Çıplak have demonstrated that cognizant and comprehensive understanding and meticulous

and categorical study are required for developing a sophisticated approach to conserving the

cultural heritage.

With the concern of establishing a limpid relation between Ozar's discussion and in-

class lectures, it would be a more discreet approach to have focused attention on the topics in

which "Development in Conservation and Urban Planning" and “Architectural Conservation

in Turkey: Legal Issues and Administrative Concerns" and are taken into consideration. At the

start of the in-class lecture, from the mid-19th Century until 2004, a chronological order

depicting the development of conservation measures in Turkey has been given by Henry who

has a similar approach with Yigit Ozar as he has also provided same data through the lecture

while explaining the destructions and archeological loss occurred in different periods (Slide 2

Henry). While it has contended that "Conservation is a part of the policy; should be an

objective of urban and regional planning" Yigit Ozar has demonstrated the credence to

declaration by providing case studies related to misinterpretations of different periods of

governments in archeological site areas that have stemmed out urban economic policies based

on the concept of neoliberalism (Slide 4). Henry provides the following notation from 'The

Declaration of Amsterdam – 1975' signed by Turkey that"The conservation of the

architectural heritage should become an integral part of urban and regional planning, instead

of being treated as a secondary consideration or one requiring action here and there as has so

often been the case in the recent past. A permanent dialogue between conservationists and

those responsible for planning is thus indispensable"(Slide Henry 4 ). Within the same

context, the exact opposing approach displaying conservation realities in Turkey has been

vigorously emphasized in many relevant case studies during the Ozar's lecture, while the same

approach is also stated in the words of Sahin Guchan and Kurul "As a result, conservation

came to be regarded as an obstacle to development, which at the time mainly aimed at

providing transport infrastructure, leaving the solution of the intensifying problems of rapidly

changing cities to be resolved" (qtd in Slide 7 Henry) . To provide a clarified explanation, the

subsequent but quite relevant example of the Palace of Justice discussed by Ozar can be taken

into consideration. The complex, that has been started in the 1950s and completed in the

1970s, has been built on the site having several archeological layers and consequently,

conservation conflicts have developed between Sedat Hakkı Eldem, who complains about the

current situation by claiming the archeological findings as not important as it has been

discussed, and other committees.

3. Conclusion Section Delineating the Gained Perspective through Aforesaid Lectures

With a particular regard to the question of that ‘What does conservation mean?’ an

erudite understanding correlating with different views has been developed through the

provided speeches besides in-class lectures. In this concern, the subsequent argument can be

declared as the influenced idea gained during the speeches that may it seems the very complex

concept of the conservation process has been likely to be carried by means of principles and

guidelines, but in experience, the process, requiring a meticulous and categorical

multidisciplinary approach to develop a sophisticated process of conserving the cultural

heritage , has omissions, limitations, and degenerations which have been caused by the

changing urban economic policies, founded in the concept of neoliberalism, of governments

of different periods in the countries such as Turkey. In this regard, before to finalize the paper,

as architects also to have a closer concentration on the declaration from Cıplak’s lecture that,

"The town is the product of several historical periods and of specific, social, cultural,

anthropological, geographical, and economic relationships. The historic center is a constituent

of a larger whole and should be studied as part of the present-day dynamic reality, not as a

static object of contemplation and tourist attraction” (qtd in Cıplak) would be a wiser attempt

to develop the strong sense of respect for cultural heritage needed especially in urban
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development to be able to tackle with the omissions, limitations, and degenerations mentioned

previously.

Works Cited

Ciplak Etyemez, Leyla. “Reconciling with the Layers in Multi-Layered Historic Cities”.

Bilkent University Lecture Hall, Ankara. 27 November 2019. Lecture.

Henry, Ayşe. “Conservation of Historical Environments”. Bilkent University, Ankara. In-

class Lectures.

Ozar, Yigit. “Tek Tipleşen Katmanlar”.Bilkent University Lecture Hall, Ankara. 7 November

2019. Lecture.