Step 05: The fluid border
For Step 05, we shift from the internal logic of the individual buildings to the larger, shifting boundary between the city and the Marmara Sea. This section explores how the "territory" of Ataköy was physically and legally redrawn over time.
Pillar I: The Shifting Coastline and the Loss of the "Shore"
The original promise of Ataköy was its immediate, democratic relationship with the Sea of Marmara. In the 1950s and 60s, the neighbourhood functioned as a sophisticated resort-suburb; the water wasn't just a view, it was the boundary. However, the subsequent decades saw a radical transformation of this fluid border through massive land reclamation (dolgu) projects. By extending the land into the sea to create the Ataköy Marina and the coastal highway, the urban planners effectively pushed the horizon away from the residents. This "manufactured territory" severed the direct link between the modernist blocks and the water, transforming the sea from a public amenity into a distant, commercialized asset. The once-porous shoreline was replaced by a rigid, stone-lined edge, forever altering the microclimate and the atmospheric quality that the original architects had so carefully calculated.
Pillar II: Zoning Politics and the Rise of the Wall
The zoning history of Ataköy is a study in the tension between "Garden City" ideals and modern real estate speculation. Initially, the area was protected by strict height limits and "green-to-concrete" ratios that ensured the skyline remained human-scale. However, as Istanbul's land value skyrocketed, the zoning laws became a battleground for political and economic power. The later phases—and the current "Urban Transformation" projects—represent a departure from the original master plan's logic of "distributed density." We see the emergence of a "Wall of Luxury": a row of high-rise, glass-heavy residences along the coast that act as a visual and physical barrier between the historic 'Kısımlar' and the sea. This shift from public-oriented planning to private, profit-driven zoning has created a fragmented neighbourhood where the new developments look inward, effectively turning their backs on the communal spirit of the 1955 blueprint.