ICOMOS, and its International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage (ISC20C), is issuing a Heritage Alert for the Ataköy Housing Estate (Phases I-II) in Istanbul, Türkiye. This significant 20th-century heritage site is at serious risk of irreversible loss, following the recent demolition of one of its housing blocks (F Block).
An Icon of Modernist Urban Planning Under Threat
The Ataköy Housing Estate, developed between 1957 and 1964, is one of the earliest new-town housing estates in Türkiye and a pioneering model of modernist urban planning. Designed as a green satellite city, it integrates housing, education, social, cultural and commercial functions within a carefully planned landscape. The estate exemplifies the principles of mid-20th-century urbanism, featuring high-rise residential blocks with a distinctive modernist architectural vocabulary, including cubist facades, pilotis, and flat roofs, designed for optimal natural ventilation and lighting.
Despite its architectural and cultural significance, Ataköy has faced neglect and ongoing alterations, including demolitions and new developments that disrupt its carefully designed spatial relationships. These changes pose an imminent threat to its heritage value and risk compromising the integrity of the entire estate.
ICOMOS Calls for Immediate Action
In response to these threats, ICOMOS urges the relevant authorities in Türkiye to take immediate measures to safeguard Ataköy Housing Estate.
Specifically, ICOMOS recommends:
- Listing Ataköy Housing Estate (Phases I-II) as an urban site in the Türkish national inventory to ensure its future development is well managed.
- Developing conservation and adaptation guidelines in accordance with international heritage principles, such as the Venice Charter and the Madrid-New Delhi Document, to guide sustainable preservation efforts.
- Formally recognizing Ataköy as an integral part of Istanbul’s urban landscape in urban legislation, master plans, and planning strategies.
ICOMOS Stands Ready to Assist
ICOMOS and its International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage (ISC20C) stand ready to collaborate with the relevant authorities, through ICOMOS Türkiye, to develop a strategic and sustainable approach for the conservation of Ataköy Housing Estate.
Preserving 20th-century heritage remains a critical global challenge, as sites like Ataköy often face threats due to lack of formal recognition and protection. This Heritage Alert serves as a call to action for all stakeholders to ensure that this pioneering urban development is not lost to irreversible transformations.
Read the letter sent to authorities in Türkiye and Istanbul
Photo credits: Ataköy Housing Estate Phases I-II (Yöney, 2006). Photo courtesy of Nilüfer Baturayoğlu Yöney.
