Experiencing city by walking: Communication elements

Abstract

Istanbul, a city ruled by various civilisations and governments, is quite important both historically, geographically and rich in culture. Cultural activitiesand spaces within which these activities took place, influenced the city’s buildingstock, its landscape and organization. New buildings were constructed on top ofthe foundations of demolished ancestors. Traces of this foregoing layering, visibleon the physical environment, has also spreaded to daily life, stories, imageries,culture, etc., while transforming them. These layers are not heterogeneous sys-tems within which the latter covers the former completely in a chronological way;but, heterogenous formations consisting of various densities and dominancies.This process-based "becoming", explained with the notion of palimpsest, is one ofthe fundamental characteristics of the city of Istanbul.Walking act that can potentially foster dérive and détournement practices, depends on semiotics of the city as well as its physicality. The communication elements of the city and its contents such as color, typography and imagery, can bevery decisive in terms of drifting (dérive) and twisting (détournement) intentionsof city resident.In order for "transforming" cities by walking, residents have to be encouragedfor making "discoveries". City planners and relevant units should take into consideration that open-endedness, flexibility, transformability, vagueness and opennessto surprises can increase the awareness of the user about the environment, by ensuring the permanence of the reflexivity between the city and the pedestrian. Thepurpose of this paper, is to discuss the potentials which could make this awarenessa useful tool for transforming the city.