IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

The interface between high-density urban peripheries and protected archaeological landscapes is frequently characterised by severe morphological fractures. Traditional conservation paradigms have largely relied on passive exclusion—a “fencing” strategy that isolates heritage assets from the civic fabric, rendering them vulnerable to physical decay and cognitive erasure. Conversely, when top-down regeneration is applied to these peripheral boundary zones, it routinely catalyses “green gentrification,” triggering the socio-economic displacement of the working-class communities it purports to serve. This paper presents the “Socio-Spatial Condenser,” a multiscalar methodological framework designed to sustainably re-integrate archaeological voids into the contemporary 15-Minute City. Rejecting permanent volumetric additions, the strategy leverages advanced geomatic surveying—specifically high-resolution UAV photogrammetry—to generate a Digital Twin of heritage structures. These digital assets serve a dual function: providing rigorous, non-invasive conservation records, and acting as precise geometric matrices for digital museography. Through projection mapping and Augmented Reality (AR), the architectural palimpsest is narrated dynamically without inducing structural or chemical stress on fragile masonry. Concurrently, the physical intervention relies on the tectonics of reversibility. By deploying lightweight, temporary timber infrastructure and permeable soft-mobility corridors, the strategy employs tactical urbanism to physically suture the spatial divide between the compact city and the heritage site. Ultimately, this methodology advocates for a paradigm shift in heritage management from passive preservation to Active Protection. By inextricably linking spatial design with socio-economic safeguards and community-driven programming, architectural interventions can actively resist demographic displacement, ensuring the preservation of our cultural past.