OTTOMAN URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN THE BALKANS: THE CASE STUDY OF OHRID AND ITS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

This article tries to give an outlook of the urban environment and the architecture in the Ottoman Balkans presented through a case study. The spatial development of the Balkan towns, especially those in the European territory of Rumelia, has its roots in Ottoman concepts strongly influenced by local pre-existing conditions. However, the Ottoman concepts were deeply founded in the institution of the pious foundations and the quarter. Typically, the physical shape of a town was consisted of an organic accumulation of these quarters and the house appearance influenced both by the formation of neighbourhoods, the organic disposition of streets, and the morphology of the terrain. All these elements can be seen in this case study confirming the continuity and the regional Ottoman era architectural influences and realisations as well as climate, geographic and historical circumstances under which the town has been developing its physical appearance.

The Ottoman era house developed its forms in different cultural areas, adapted itself to a variety of climatic and topographical situations and even though many external factors contributed the development of its type the Ottoman era house was not just a ‘Turkish house’ with synthesis of these elements but merged the life style and aesthetics of the ethnic groups as well. These in particular are illustrated very well in the houses of the Balkan Peninsula where there was not just merging of elements but also merge of different religions and cultures. The non-Muslim population that was native inhabitants of this area had their contribution to the development of the vernacular, even though interaction with the artisans of the regions. These led to a form of a vernacular where opponent elements stood one by another in harmony in the Ottoman era matrices and their places of worship, the mosques.

Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia, is a town that within the borders of the Ottoman Empire was part of the regional architectural influences. The town, positioned on a hill, built by the homonymous lake possess long historical continuity going as far back to neolith eras when in the Ottoman times reached its peak in the urban and house development.

GALATA AS A MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE CROSSROAD THROUGHOUT THE AGES

The aim of this paper is to investigate the present status of the Galata district in Istanbul. Galata is an example of a unique crossroad of multicultural heritage that is currently at risk of disappearance, due to neglect and lack of enhancement, outsource from Istanbul’s metropolis growth within the era of globalization. Since Byzantine times, Galata maintained its distinct character in the city’s physiognomy, because of the cultural contribution of its inhabitants and people who lived and formed the urban environment throughout the centuries. Especially in the 13th century, with the establishment of the Genoese colony of Pera, the district grew up as an ‘Italian’ city in the core of the oriental Byzantine Empire, building up an urban texture adapted to the morphology and the orology of the territory, completely different and independent from the development of the bigger center of Byzantium/ Constantinople. This ‘foreign’ aspect of the colony was preserved in the following centuries, when the town of Pera started getting populated by more and more foreigners, like the so called ‘Frenks’, who settled themselves in this area, bringing their own cultural aspects, customs, traditions as well as religion…

TYPOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TRADITIONAL OTTOMAN HOUSE – THE CASES OF KAVALA AND OHRID

As part of the Inter-ISC’18 conference within the theme of “Typology, History and Geographical Spread”, this article will try to give an outlook of the architectural and constructive panorama that shared influences and experiences in the domestic architecture in the Balkans presented through two specific case studies of Ottoman towns: Kavala and Ohrid. Historic Islamic cities show a variety of origins and growth patterns that are visible in the two examples mentioned above. In general, those Ottoman towns were conditioned by external factors such as pre-existing settlements, deliberate choices of location and prevailing dynastic evolutions and changes. Practically all of the most important Eastern Mediterranean cities were a product of many simultaneously urban activities where multi-cultures and multi-religious systems coexisted together for centuries. Beyond the very significant and ancient historical stratifications, virtually everywhere in their long forming, they acted, cohabited and lived together. The two towns, Kavala and Ohrid were both part of the vast Ottoman Empire, positioned in the lands of the Ottoman territory of Rumelia for almost five centuries. Both towns had long urban history rooted deep down in the ancient times but the traces of the previous eras were “covered” with the Ottoman presence, evident especially in their domestic and vernacular architecture. This article will try to give an outlook to the Ottoman patterns appearing in both case studies, showing similarities and resemblances. 24

OTTOMAN MEMORIES IN KAVALA; IDENTITY AND PERSPECTIVES FOR FUTURE CULTURAL ASSETS OF THE OTTOMAN HERITAGE OUTSIDE OF TURKEY

As part of the '17 International Conference on Conservation of Architectural Heritage and Urban History we will present the article that seeks to explore the relationships between heritage and identity by following the evolution of the material culture and historical consciousness and focusing on the case of its manifestations, and that also explores some developments in the heritage concept, relating them to societal changes. Cultural identity in the pre globalization era had local, autonomous, peculiar and well-defined connections between geographical place and cultural experience. This identity is something people had as protected existential possession, an inheritance, continuity with the past. Identity was in that sense intended as a collective treasure of local communities that defined in the past the relationships within the community itself and outside with the others…

THE IMARET OF MEHMED ALI PASHA PRESERVATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF AN OTTOMAN AND EGYPTIAN HERITAGE INTO A MASTERPIECE OF HERITAGE PROTECTION AND REVITALIZATION IN GREECE

As part of the Architectural Heritage-Past and Future Challenges for the Region and Architecture Values and Heritage session, I will offer the participants of the 5th IC ASPC 2016 a glimpse at one of the greatest, monumental Islamic structures built in once Ottoman Kavala and still existing with its whole grandeur in today’s Greece, The Mehmed Ali’s IMARET. The Imaret külye (complex) of Kavala, built by Mehmed Ali Pasha, an Ottoman general and the future founder of the Egyptian Dynasty, is one of the most outstanding Islamic historical monuments in today’s Greece, dominating the view of the old hilly peninsula of the port city of Kavala. Its unique architecture and history, together with the history of its host town, is an incredible example of an immaculate historical preservation and transformation of one exquisite monumental structure, initially built for utilitarian, educational and cosmopolitan purposes, and transformed into one incredible leisure complex and seat of todays Mo.H.A. (Motives for Heritage Acquaintance) Research Center in Kavala, Greece. Keywords: Heritage, Protection of the Cultural Heritage, Historical Preservation and protection, Ottoman, imarets, continuity, past and future traditions, revitalization, Muslim culture, civilizations, Balkans, Greece, Mediterranean, Egypt, Islam in the Balkans, heritage and conflict, endangered heritage.

THE OTTOMAN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN THE TOWN OF KASTORIA (KESRIYE), GREECE

As part of the section on the Turkish Art and Aesthetics and the architecture section, this paper will offer to the participants of the 15th International Congress of Turkish Art review about the Ottoman Vernacular Architecture in the lake town of Kastoria (Kesriye) in Greece.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE ISTANBUL HOUSE PLAN TYPES AND THE PLAN TYPES OF THE OTTOMAN HOUSES ON THE PANAGIA DISTRICT IN KAVALA, GREECE

As part of the section on the Architectural History and the Architecture Values and Heritage, this paper will offer to the participants of the 4th IC ASPCE 2015 Durres Albania view on the development of the Ottoman House floor plans and its characteristics presented through the examples of the houses built in Istanbul between the 17th and 19th century and their comparative analysis with the Ottoman houses built in the Panagia district in the Ottoman town of Kavala, Greece. The Ottoman House has its specific characteristics and a huge value that has a special place in the universal history of the house types. It is a type of house that can be found within the territories of the Old Ottoman Empire, in the territories of Rumelia and Anatolia. The goal of the paper is to conclude that the houses built in Ottoman Kavala, and that still exist in the old district of Panagia, have typical Ottoman floor plans amalgamated with local influences and can be placed among the several typical architectural floor plan types of the Ottoman House. Keywords: Ottoman house, typology of Ottoman house floor plans, sofali house, Vernacular architecture, Ottoman house in the Balkans, Istanbul houses, Ottoman Kavala.

REINVENTING THE NEW MACEDONIAN VILLAGE: Case study of the “Macedonian Village” a site built near Skopje, Macedonia

As part of the section on the contemporary “use” of the vernacular architecture the aim of this paper is to offer to the ISVS-7 participants an outline about the recent happenings in the particular case of a newly built site of the so called “Macedonian Village” built very close to the capital of Macedonia, Skopje. As part of the current government policy and their implementation of the newly designed project for the capital, called“ Skopje 2014” that include major construction works in the center of the city of Skopje, the government opened a competition for a design proposal for the “ Macedonian Village” . This presentation will offer a view to the current case study of the newly found ways of using the old values of the Macedonian vernacular architectural tradition and put them in use of the new era, the era of consumption and need for instant “touristic experiences”. Keywords: Commodification: consumption, “touristification”, and inappropriate policies, place-making, dwelling