Chaos or homogenization? The role of shop signs in transforming urban fabric in Beyoglu, Istanbul

Abstract

Istiklal Street, more commonly known as 'Beyoglu', is one of the oldest and most prominent areas of the city of Istanbul. It is an area characterized by richness and profundity in terms of its history and cultural background. If asked, perhaps every resident of Istanbul would express fond memories of Beyoglu in days gone by, particularly the older generation. Beyoglu is also one of the most visited and attractive spots of Istanbul in terms of liveliness and nightlife, and can be compared to Piccadilly Circus in London, Times Square in New York, or Ginza in Tokyo. It has always been the business sector of Istanbul, rather than a residential area. Today, it is probably the most popular and exciting part of Istanbul with its shops, restaurants and bars as well as its museums and bookshops. Despite the visual disorder and chaos that such a centre of attraction tends to attract, one would expect Beyoglu to reflect the area's richness and vibrancy in its outdoor signs and billboards. However, recent changes brought in by the local municipality seem to have dimmed and toned down the intrinsic character of this significant district. All shops and stores have been instructed to change their outdoor signs to wooden backgrounds with brass lettering an attempt to bring back the old, nostalgic look of Istiklal Street in the 1950s and 1960s. However, with all the fascia-boards and signs now looking very much alike, has this standardization procedure actually served its purpose, or has it merely acted as an instrument of visual homogenization? The visual form of many city centres with their highly distinctive neon lights may seem to be rather disordered and chaotic but, on the other hand, does unification of visual identity act as an agent to subdue the very nature of urban fabric? This study is an attempt to investigate the role of outdoor shop signs and fascia-boards in relation to the visual and cultural identity of urban settings. It uses the Beyoglu district as an example and examines views for and against this particular case.