Traces of Architecture at the Water's Edge

The theses put forth by Vedat Tokyay in this book aim to improve the quality of life for urban dwellers through architectural means. The two most important theses form the backbone of the book.

Thesis 1: Water should be a public urban space.
Proper urban transformations of old ports on the waterfront reinforce this thesis. Port transformations are exemplified with Hafencity, Oslo, and Genoa; coastal arrangements are included in the book with examples from Izmir, Antalya, Zadar, and Porto.

Thesis 2: The way to integrate water with the city is to bring cultural facilities, not speculative investments, to the waterfront.
In all the European cities mentioned in the book, cultural facilities such as opera houses, open-air concerts, exhibitions, museums, science centers, summer cinemas, meeting places, and libraries are located on the waterfront. In this way, the city and the waterfront are integrated, and urban dwellers gain access to the most valuable public spaces.

Contents:

• Architectural Productions that Establish Human-Water Relationships
• Urban Spaces that Allow Us to Exist Freely by the Water
• Revitalization of Dysfunctional Port Structures
• The Relationship of Cities That Have Lived in Water for Centuries with Water
• Clues Offered by Architectural Structures in Water
• Integration of Structures Located Alongside Water with the City
• A Civilization Created by the River – Egypt
• Bridges Living Over Water
• Lighthouses Living On and By the Water
• Transportation Structures Located at the Water's Edge