IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)
Abstract
Istanbul’s Byzantine heritage is fragmented, lost, and s often interpreted through archaeological findings and written sources. However, heritage is not only about preserving the past, but also an effective tool for imagining the future. This study examines how artificial intelligence may be applied for speculative spatial design and poses the following question: “If Byzantine structures still shaped Istanbul’s skyline today, what would the city look like?” The research employs text-to-image-based artificial intelligence models to generate scenarios in which lost Byzantine structures reappear in present-day Istanbul. These scenarios were created by drawing on historical sources, archaeological data, and the existing urban morphology, thus bringing together layers of the past and the future. The study argues that speculative reconstructions encourages heritage to be reconsidered as static remains, but rather as a dynamic concept oriented toward the future. In this context, artificial intelligence enables the democratization of cultural memory, the development of new urban visions, and the multidisciplinary reinterpretation of heritage. This approach aims to contribute to discussions on cultural pasts and urban futures, not only in Istanbul but also on a global scale.
Emine Gizem Çapaner is a research assistant in the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design at Işık University. She is pursuing her doctoral studies at Hacettepe University. Her research focuses on digital design, the metaverse, and virtual/interactive spaces.
Sezin Nas received her Bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design from Kadir Has University in 2017. She completed a non-thesis Master’s program in Project Management at Yıldız Technical University in 2018 and earned her Master’s degree in Interior Architecture from Marmara University in 2021. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Interior Architecture at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. She works as a Research Assistant in the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design at Istanbul Galata University. Her research interests include architectural acoustics, soundscape studies, virtual soundwalks, immersive virtual reality environments, and digital methods for spatial experience and cultural heritage interpretation.
Yağmur Taşkın graduated from the Interior Architecture and Environmental Design program at Kadir Has University in 2026. Her academic interests include spatial design, three-dimensional modeling, and visual storytelling, focusing on combining aesthetics with functionality to create meaningful user experiences. During her undergraduate studies, she completed a construction site internship at Rönesans Holding for the Equinix Data Center project and an office internship at Tabanlıoğlu Mimarlık, contributing to the Rixos Tersane project. She also worked at Yalın Tan and Partners on the İş Bankası Towers (İşKule) project. Outside academics, she enjoys exhibitions, photography, and visual storytelling, and has completed basic and advanced yacht design training.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Wednesday 8th July, 2026