From the Chamber of Architects' History: The Sulukule File

We present to you the book "Sulukule File," the second product in the series "From the History of the Chamber of Architects of TMMOB." We believe and value that this series will contribute to the collection and evaluation of information and archival documents related to the Chamber's history, and their transmission to future generations. We value the accumulation of the Chamber of Architects' staff, who have continued the tradition of struggle developed over the years with sensitive citizens, civic organizations, and academics from different disciplines, who have made significant gains within the framework of administrative law, who have a broad knowledge base, who know how to approach such urban problems, and who possess this experience, and we are undertaking this work as a means of transmitting this knowledge to the future.

Urban struggles, by their very nature, require a multi-component collaboration, and persistent and conscious follow-up. We once again saw in the events of Sulukule that the experience gained in different cases and the technical knowledge of planning provided a very important accumulation, but that each issue required a different method of struggle in its own special way. From the very beginning of the process that led to the destruction of the area defined as Sulukule, a solidarity example was shown where, in addition to contributing to the legal struggle with the residents, sensitive circles mobilized and provided multi-faceted support programs to make them feel that they were not alone. Contributions from different disciplines were compiled, and creative examples of struggle were displayed.

In our interview with Şükrü Pündük, President of the Sulukule Roma Association, and Mücella Yapıcı, the events were clearly revealed. The trauma experienced by the people who were removed from the region where they had lived for hundreds of years was expressed in great detail in various narratives. We included in the book the writings of people from very different disciplines such as architects, urban planners, art historians, musicologists, sociologists, archaeologists, and photographers, who conveyed their experiences regarding the process. We found it important to record the details that could serve as an example for future events by examining such an urban struggle from different angles.

We are thinking about what we can transmit from the past to the future, what we can do with our accumulated knowledge and experiences in different environments and collaborations, how we can compile them, and how we can make them meaningful, and we are trying to develop the "Files from the History of the Chamber of Architects" series within this framework. We believe that the "Sulukule File" book is a good example. We hope it receives the attention it deserves.

Series Editor: Bülend Tuna

Prepared for Publication by: TMMOB Chamber of Architects Istanbul Metropolitan Branch History and Publications Committee

Sulukule File Working Group: Bülend Tuna, Yeşim Erdal, Mücella Yapıcı, Mehmet Bozkurt, Rümeysa Kuduban, 

Design Application and Cover Design: Nilgün Kara Babacan