Machinology

Istanbul is most often commented for its stunning beauty in a manner that approaches a modern touristic version of orientalism. For sure it is stunning, but the other side of Istanbul, as real but less visible, is the barbed wire protecting upper middle class & luxury housing areas, security cameras, traffic queues, and TOKIs. Indeed, urban planning and Istanbul is such a rich case study not merely if one is interested in Turkey but global capitalism and megacities in general.

To quote a recent MoMA-exhibition Uneven Growth:

“TOKI development parallels the emergence of a new middle class in Istanbul for whom a TOKI flat is part of a dream of car and house ownership, even if this brings social isolation, long hours in traffic, and long-term debt.”

(Image from Moma/Uneven Growth.)