Investigation of the Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Terms of Sustainability

*Mert Tolon, Andaç Erdem Çakır and Hasan Hüseyin Okur* 

#### **Abstract**

 In its narrowest sense, a city is defined as a settlement area where most of the population is engaged in trade, industry, or management, without agricultural activities. As a result of population movements, changes in city vision, economic collapse zones, and squatter house and sometimes due to natural or urban risks and disasters, cities are developing, growing, or especially starting to deteriorate. To increase the quality of life of the city and to be prepared for all kinds of urban risks immediately after the significant Marmara earthquakes in 1999, many studies were realized in İstanbul by İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality in order to obtain data from districts of Zeytinburnu, Fatih, Kucukcekmece, Bahçelievler, Bayrampasa, and Gungoren for urban transformation planning. In this study, the urban transformation project carried out in the Bayrampaşa district of İstanbul is discussed, and the process and objectives of the regional urban transformation project have been examined based on the principle of utilizing the environmental values and natural resources rationally. In the preparation phase of the sustainability focus of the Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Bayrampaşa district, a sustainable environmental concept approach was used to shed light on different transformation models, methods, principles, and other projects.

**Keywords:** sustainability, sustainable project management, urban transformation, transformation project, İstanbul

#### **1. Introduction**

 Cities are in a life cycle due to changing living conditions, a rapid growth of population and migration, uncontrolled and unplanned growth in cities' industrialization movement, economic distribution among regions/cities, social development, community awareness, disaster risk, artificial risks, public security, and administrative political and bureaucratic problems. For this reason, cities also wear out and die like living organisms [1]. So, urban transformation studies are carried out by the public to be prepared for these urban risks and hazards and to have minimal damage.

In this sense, in order to guide spatial decisions and to form a basis for plans, in 2001–2002, together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Basic Plan of Disaster Prevention Reduction, İstanbul Technical University, the Middle East İstanbul Technical University, Bosphorus University, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul Earthquake Master Plan in 2003, Microzonation Projects in İstanbul in 2010, priorities and seismicity, urban geology in 2011 and previous studies in 2012, and the correct strategies of decision-makers and managers, the Megaşehir Indicator System (MegaIST) for Disaster Risk Management, which is a decision support mechanism for developing and taking appropriate risk reduction decisions, has been completed by the municipality [2].

 In the literature, it is seen that the integration of these worn-out and dying urban elements and the societies is possible with an urban development focusing on the concept of sustainability. Sustainability is defined as the environmentalist worldview for aiming at ensuring economic development without sacrificing the principle that environmental values and natural resources should be used rationally without waste, taking into account the rights and benefits of present and future generations [3]. On the other hand, sustainable development is defined by the World Environment and Development Commission as meeting the needs of today's economic, environmental, and social aspects of development in a way that will not fail to meet the needs of future generations [4].

Furthermore, it can be said that sustainable urban development is associated with economic prosperity, social justice, joint thinking and participation, environmental protection awareness, and local and central government/governance. In this study, the urban transformation which is one of the most essential means of sustainable urban development is examined. Also, the urban transformation project carried out in the Bayrampaşa district of İstanbul is examined based on the concept of sustainability.

#### **2. Urban transformation**

 Urban regeneration is a planning and application tool that aims to re-urbanize by projecting with people-oriented technical-economic-social-demographic and environmental dimensions by taking into account the historical and cultural values of the society with a multidisciplinary approach, which does not comply with the urban standards over time due to different reasons; the physical structure is deteriorating or abandoned, and the urban areas are unprepared for possible disasters.

If the general meaning should be expressed, the urban transformation/urban regeneration, according to the terms in the dictionary, is the removal of poor neighborhoods, improvement of structures, protection, and better accommodation and working and resting conditions, making all or part of the cities and urban areas a better environment for the changing conditions of the day with the help of public initiative or assistance [5].

The urban transformation is the central concept with many urban tools. Within this framework, there are application tools such as regeneration, renewal, revival/ revitalization, redevelopment, rehabilitation, conservation, clearance, etc. In an urban transformation study, all or a few of these tools can be used, or just one of them can be used. This selection is determined by taking into account the current situation of the project area, the transformation model (physical, social, and economic), implementation, and public sensitivities.

 These application tools are implemented in many areas of urban transformation. Considering the studies in many cities, especially in İstanbul, the main areas where urban transformation is applied are the areas under disaster risk mitigation studies.

*Investigation of the Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Terms… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

 As is known, Turkey is a country at an earthquake activity zone, and many of these structures are under threat. The 2011 Van Earthquake, the 1999 Düzce and Gölcük Earthquakes, and the 1992 Erzincan earthquakes have shown that the priority areas where urban transformation has to be implemented are those that are at risk of disaster. In addition to these areas, the industrial areas which were abandoned or not used in the city in time, the urban transformation works that were carried out after the 1950s led to the immigration wave coming to the city and the integration of the economic decay areas where the quality of life has declined gradually to the urban fabric.

Currently, many laws and regulations are used directly and indirectly in the realization of urban transformation studies. It is understood that Turkey is also under development and implementation of urban transformation projects within the Law No. 6306 on the transformation of areas under disaster risk, Law No. 5393 municipal law, Law No. 3194 development law, Law No. 2942 expropriation law, Law No. 775 squatter house law, Law No. 5216 metropolitan municipality law, and also Law No. 5366 the protection and protection of historical and cultural immovable assets.

#### **2.1 Urban transformation in İstanbul**

İstanbul metropolitan area size is 5,345 km<sup>2</sup> . When the areas not permitted for construction at this area are not considered (forest areas, agricultural areas, basin areas, stream protection bands, airports, lakes, and rivers), it is observed that there are approximately 1,302 km<sup>2</sup> of reconstruction or uncontrolled areas. According to the Urban Inventory Study conducted by İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 2015, there are about 1,208,741 buildings in these areas, and it has a construction area of 721.73 km<sup>2</sup> (721,730,000 m2 ) [6].

 According to the studies carried out, it is revealed that approximately 302,000 buildings should be handled with urban transformation as industrial structures that need to be renewed and have an intermediate or low risk or disrupt the urban fabric. Considering that the cost of this transformation is 125 billion TL and the consolidated budget of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality together with the affiliated companies of 2019 is about 23.8 billion TL, it is evident that this transformation cannot be realized only with the budget of a single municipality or organization [6]. Also, the municipality has a motto of "Urban transformation is an important application and solution tool to prepare İstanbul for the future and disaster, to anticipate the potential risks and to take them into consideration." In 2015, with the cooperation of İstanbul Technical University, the strategy and actions for the 39 districts in İstanbul were established to form a base for urban transformation.

 Therefore, İstanbul Urban Transformation Strategic Plan was developed in 2018 with a holistic and inclusive approach covering 39 districts including first-degree risk regions while improving the quality of life of urban residents and developing a model that responds to the needs of disaster-resistant, long-term economic growth and also population growth. With the vision of achieving a safe, prosperous, and accessible İstanbul target with the implementation of this integrated urban transformation model, the İstanbul Urban Transformation Master Plan study was completed.

In this context, in order to support and transform urban transformation efforts, considering the roles and responsibilities of İstanbul in 2018 and its opportunities and resources to be a well-protected, fast-recovered, safe, livable, and sustainable city, it is observed that there is a need for "urban resistance and resilience" work to be started. Also, for the "Historical Peninsula" that is the historical and cultural heritage site of İstanbul, works that reexamine the existing silhouette decisions and spatial transformation that would refer to the spatial plans and the urban

transformation practices in the scale of 1/5000 and 1/1000 are required. With this aim, it is known that analytical studies on developing urban transformation planning approach in historical and cultural heritage areas are initiated to develop a holistic approach to urban transformation by considering cultural and historical sensitivities [7].

#### **2.2 Urban transformation project of Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area**

Looking at the general outlook of Bayrampaşa district, it is thought that 30% of the public building stock is risky, the average age of the buildings is between 30 and 35 years, and many buildings are unlicensed in contradiction with the existing zoning conditions and city norms. It is known by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality that it is one of the priority districts in the urban transformation of the region due to the increasing unqualified environment and gradually decreasing quality of life [8].

It is understood that due to the lack of green space, environmental problems, lack of evacuation and assembly areas, 80% of buildings being unlicensed, most of the buildings with an expired economic life, parking problems for vehicles, gradually decreasing socialization among citizens, and also this region suffering significant damage in case of a potential earthquake or disaster, it has been selected as a pilot region by the municipality. In this context, physical, social, and economic transformation strategies have been developed by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality for the transformation of the whole district. Thus, it is understood that sustainable transformation paved the way.

For the urban transformation project, it is known that the needs of the region have been determined between the years 2012 and 2014, the current potential has been examined, studies have been started with a master plan where environmental impact analysis and urban integration are made, and three different scenarios are developed [8].

 In the pilot area, the urban developments in the immediate vicinity, the public and private sector investments around the region, the analysis of the area's plan, and the reinforcement depending on the current situation, accessibility, infrastructure adequacy, building analyses (age, floor, license, etc.), three different main scenarios, and sub-scenarios with human and habitat fiction are obtained. These scenarios were critical in terms of what functions the project area could be transformed into urban transformation and in what ways they are possible (**Figure 1**).

#### **Figure 1.**

*Functional study of the region according to the master plan.* 

*Investigation of the Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Terms… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

**Figure 2.**  *The matrix of project baseline features.* 

In the direction of the strategic road map for the urban transformation of the region between 2014 and 2016, physical, economic, and social transformation steps, urban design studies, and projects are prepared by the holistic and inclusive principles with the help of citizens, academicians, and nongovernmental organizations.

As a result of the studies carried out, the way to emphasize eight basic features (**Figure 2**) was followed, and the main characteristics were measured as high, medium, and low in the spider graph method. The higher ones are deployed on the graphics boundary [9].

#### **3. The relationship between sustainable project management and urban transformation project**

The targets below the sustainable development goals, which emerged at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 in Rio de Janeiro and replaced the Millennium Development Goals, which launched global mobilization in 2000, have been taken into consideration by the municipality within the scope of the pilot project work. In this context, within the scope of the project, detailed information on these goals are given below.

#### **3.1 Goal 3: to provide a healthy life for all ages and to promote peace of mind**

 To ensure a healthy life and to provide welfare for all ages and aim to reach health services for everyone in line to reach 1 million people per year within the project capacity to serve a hospital with 350 beds.

#### **3.2 Goal 4: providing an inclusive and fair education for all and encouraging life-long learning opportunities**

In order to increase the quality of education, to improve access to education at all levels, to increase the enrollment rate, and to reach universal targets, the primary school and nursery building will be constructed in a place with an area of 7,518 m2 within the project area.

#### **3.3 Goal 7: sell everyone receivable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy access**

 Electrical stations, photovoltaic solar panels, new electrical substation with high technical capacity, and training activities for energy efficiency are planned to reach energy and use clean energy.

#### **3.4 Goal 9: building durable infrastructure, supporting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and strengthening innovation**

In order to increase the living standards of the citizens, the necessary infrastructure for the health, education, commerce, housing, social life, and parking areas is established, and the existing transformer capacity outside the infrastructure network is increased and transported to a safer area.

#### **3.5 Goal 11: making cities and settlements inclusive, safe, durable, and sustainable**

In the face of the urban risks including the earthquake, 2,277 houses and 170 workplaces will be an essential step for sustainable urbanization by using urban transformation. This step is also supported by the sustainable environmental approach and smart urbanism approaches.

#### **3.6 Goal 13: acting urgently to combat climate change and its effects**

 Many applications, such as smart containers, intelligent recycling systems, solar panels, and electrical station stations, are taking part in the project to increase social awareness for climate change and to be applicable in existing projects.

#### **4. Implementation model developed in sustainable urban transformation project**

 Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area argues that urban transformation is an accessible, safe, and sustainable urban texture. In line with this vision, right holders without having to rent with the principle of on-site transformation or moving and renting and staying in the neighborhood relations will continue to live in the same neighborhood.

The project is designed to provide a minimum level of horizontal architecture and human/life scale to ensure the transformation of the cost and the right holder. Within the scope of sustainable environmental sensitivity, many applications that are not seen or implemented in urban transformation projects of this scale have taken place in this project.

On the other hand, in 23 building blocks, which have a safe living area (including earthquakes) of 10,000 people, there are 2,277 residences of 33 different types. In addition, comprehensive solutions such as hospitals, cultural centers, underground parking, parking centers and workshops, commercial spaces/shops, training building, sports fields, hotel and office building, metro station, and city square are also included in the project (**Figure 3**).

In line with these objectives, the production-transfer-empty method, which is an innovative application model that does not bring the extra population to the city and provides the transformation in the place, has been used (**Figure 4**).

In the scope of sustainability, it is aimed to implement a project that includes the use of intelligent emergency systems and intelligent security solutions, photovoltaic solar panels, ÇEDBİK best housing certificate structures which are designed, intelligent collection systems which are integrated into the city, intelligent lighting systems which are used, smart water meters and electric charging stations which are formed, and central heating systems which are preferred for the prevention of heat loss.

#### **4.1 Examination of each goal in terms of sustainability**

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality is responsible for the use of sustainable and renewable energy sources to produce 1.3 mkw energy from solar energy for use in

*Investigation of the Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Terms… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

**Figure 3.**  *Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Regeneration Project model [6].* 

#### **Figure 4.**

*Produce-transfer-empty schematic representation of the used method model.* 

the common areas of the buildings to be constructed in the project area; for this reason, photovoltaic solar panels are applied in the project. In this way, 2,670 tons of carbon emissions will be prevented annually, and 6,491 trees will be contributed to planting trees annually, and it is envisaged that the project will be built to reduce electricity generation, reduce carbon footprint, and create awareness.

The urban transformation project for obtaining the ÇEDBİK certificate: the designs have been carried out according to related parameters in terms of integrated project management, land use, energy use, health and comfort, materials and resource utilization, operation and maintenance, and innovation at residential areas.

 In the scope of the project with the participation of İSTAÇ, intelligent waste collection and recycling systems ensure work/time efficiency, prevent energy loss, reduce carbon dioxide emission, and reduce cost of garbage collection targeted via the sensors of underground and surface trash containers, which transfer the occupancy status of the units by wireless connection.

Also for energy efficiency, working with light-sensitive detectors in the building common areas, parking areas, and landscaping areas is planned to be used. Using 60–70% energy-saving LED bulbs compared to regular bulbs will help to lower production costs, decrease long service life, and increase the durability of bulbs.

 Also, to minimize the emission of carbon, to contribute to the dissemination of electric vehicles, to prevent air pollution, and to create awareness, in urban transformation project and in the housing of each block of the house, a total of 23 vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycle stations were taken into consideration. Again, according to the Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627, a central heating system was established, and in this scope, heat and shared meter application was made for each unit, and thus, energy saving was planned to reach approximately 25%. On the other hand, a new metro stop was built on the existing metro line to create an accessible living space.

 In addition to integrating the use of bicycles not only for sports and hobby purposes but also for urban transport, smart bike rental system has been incorporated into the urban transformation project to reduce traffic intensity, reduce energy consumption, and reduce carbon emissions. In the project area, the use of plant waste oil collection machines, old medicine collection boxes, toy clothes donation boxes, and recycling boxes for electrical and electronic materials in order to meet the recycling criteria for sustainability is planned. Also, with the use of smart water meters, the units in the project are aimed to be measured by the wireless connection. This method will prevent leakage losses and lower the cost of meter readings, and also the work and time efficiency will succeed not to be based on personnel.

Finally, smoke-heat-gas detectors, intelligent fire alarm repeater panel, smart fire alarm mimic panel, smart smoke detector, smart temperature detector, intelligent multisensor, intelligent gas detectors, intelligent short circuit isolator fire alarm with the fire alarm system, carbon monoxide alarm system, and announcement systems are used in the project area to aim for protecting people and environment health while seeking to evacuate the building owners in case of fire, alarm, or emergency.

#### **5. Conclusion**

 İstanbul Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project started in 2012. To accelerate the transformation of the district and to disseminate the transformation throughout the region in the stages, ordinary mind meetings were held with beneficiaries, academicians, nongovernmental organizations, and relevant public institutions. With the plans developed, it is seen that the social and technical infrastructure areas needed by the region can be created to obtain a healthy and sustainable urban fabric that eliminates the risk of disaster. In this sense, it is considered that the criteria discussed in the current project will guide future plans in terms of both implementation and legislation in terms of megacities. As a result, this project aims to be an excellent example in terms of sustainability criteria in order to increase social awareness with environmental sustainability, nature conservation, the use of renewable alternative sources, environmentally friendly practices, and smart urban studies with these contributions to the literature and also give a meaningful example to have such practices in urban transformation projects.

*Investigation of the Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area-Urban Transformation Project in Terms… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

#### **Author details**

Mert Tolon1 \*, Andaç Erdem Çakır 2 and Hasan Hüseyin Okur3

1 Civil Engineering Department, İstanbul Gedik University, İstanbul, Turkey

2 Directorate of Urban Transformation, İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, İstanbul, Turkey

3 Directorate of Bayrampaşa Old Penitentiary Area Urban Transformation Project, İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, İstanbul, Turkey

\*Address all correspondence to: mert.tolon@gedik.edu.tr

© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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[3] Keleş R. Urban Science Glossary. Ankara, Turkey: İmge Publications; 1998. p. 112

[4] Brundtland Report [Internet]. 2019, Available from: http://www. un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm [Accessed: April 8, 2019]

[5] Ünal E, Duyguluer F, Bolat E. Reconstruction of Terms. Ankara, Turkey; 1998. p. 103

[6] Earthquake Risk Management and Urban Improvement Department. İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Urban Inventory Research Report. İstanbul, Turkey: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality; 2015

[7] Directorate of Urban Regeneration. Urban Transformation Directorate Research & Development Report. İstanbul, Turkey: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality; 2019

[8] İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality. İstanbul Province, Bayrampasa District, Ismetpasa District Reserve Transformation Urban Area Transformation Project Protocol, 2016-2019. İstanbul, Turkey: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality; 2019

[9] İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Joint Service Protocol for the Preparation of Research, Study, Feasibility, Valuation, Reconciliation

 and Publicity Works within the Scope of the Old Transformation Area Urban Transformation Project in the Bayrampaşa District of İstanbul, 2016. İstanbul, Turkey: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality; 2016

#### **Chapter 36**
