IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)
Abstract
The study focuses on the Sultanahmet Hippodrome and its surroundings as a unique urban palimpsest. By foregrounding the site’s layered history, it opens a dialogue on the tension between past and present. Architecture is approached as a tool for reading and interpreting history, reimagining a space where multiple layers are not only preserved, but actively intertwined. In this sense, the project seeks to establish an ongoing dialogue between past and present. Once a vibrant setting for chariot races and public celebrations, the Hippodrome has drifted far from its original function today. Yet the Hippodrome continues to carry traces of its past, enclosed by the imposing walls of Fatih, Istanbul. Within the Historic Peninsula, characterized by high pedestrian density, the site is largely appropriated by transient tourist populations, with limited local engagement. The study ultimately proposes strategies to reengage local users, transforming the site into an active interface between heritage and everyday urban practices.
Sevim Aslan graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1987 and continued her studies with a dissertation titled “Structural Analyses of Ancient City Antalya-Perge’s South Bath” under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dogan Kuban in Master of Science in Restoration Program at Istanbul Technical University in 1990. She co-founded DS Architects with Deniz Aslan in 1994. She continues her professional career at DS Architects both as the Managing Partner and as an industry expert in architectural restoration and conservation.
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Monday 6th July, 2026