Boğaziçi Bridge, the ‘First’ bridge, carries part of an estimated 420,000 cars every day, added to hundreds of thousands that cross the continents via ferries and sea buses. © Paolo Rosselli
In a city fuelled by a real-estate development boom, the TOKI tower blocks in Ataşehir are transforming the derelict lands near the endless traffic of the TEM Highway. © Cemal Emden
Extending from Taksim Square and cutting across the historical Pera district, pedestrianised Istiklal Avenue is a buzzing thoroughfare 24 hours a day. © Ali Taptık
Accommodating at once centuries of history and an expanding urban modernity, Istanbul acts as a microcosm patchwork of Turkey’s diverse settlement typologies. © Ali Taptık
Carrying almost 440,000 passengers a day over 40.4 kilometres of designated bus lanes running on one of its busiest motorways, Istanbul’s Metrobüs has successfully reduced travel times, and increased the use of public transport. © Ali Taptık
Extensive car use congests Kabataş, a major public transport hub with a ferry terminal, tram station and a funicular connection to Taksim Square. © Cemal Emden
Tahtakale, a neighbourhood with some of the best preserved urban grain, hosts dynamic commercial activity with goods coming from near and far. © Ali Taptık
Taksim Square is still the most important square in modern Istanbul. Originally, Taksim means the distribution of water. Today, the currents of popular political culture begin their national trek here. © Ali Taptık
Eminönü has always been a gateway into Istanbul, conveniently located at the intersection of the Bosporus Strait and the Golden Horn and near the Sirkeci Rail Station in the historical peninsula. © Ali Taptık
Suburban gated communities became a reality of Istanbul in the 1990’s. increasingly rubbing against gecekondus and village-like neighbourhoods. © Cemal Emden
Kanyon is one of Istanbul’s first mixed-use design complexes, offering a quasi-outdoor shopping experience. © İzzet Keribar
Istanbul’s unique topography allows for unexpected vistas of the Bosporus, Golden Horn or the Marmara Sea. © Ali Taptık
Streets are places of commercial activity, providing much valued face-to-face contact and autonomous public spaces while keeping the city on a constant move. © Ali Taptık
Haliç (the Golden Horn) lost its significance as a harbour, port and shipyard under changing political structures, but remains a major cultural and historical site. © Paolo Rosselli
Playing host to several civilisations and empires, Istanbul’s silhouette is defined by minarets, spires, columns and more and more tall buildings. The historical peninsula sits at the intersection of the Marmara Sea, the Bosporus and the Golden Horn. © Cemal Emden
