Hidden Value of Modern AKM

A structures value should be evaluated based on its birth date. Its internal urban and, even today, universal effect should form its value. This value cannot be calculated qualitatively or systematically; but can be perceived only by architects. Imperfections or deficiencies of the decisions taken nowadays by some municipalities, investor corporations and some other institutions have caused numerous architecturally valuable structures to be destroyed or lost their values. This has caused us to lose our unprecedented structures which notably belong to modern Turkish architecture. The reason that differ Istanbul from Rome, the city like an open air museum, is the impracticality of this understanding.

There are some structures that should be demolished after 30 years due to aging problems as Peter Eisenman said about his own buildings. Buildings that do not age live within their environment unnoticeably regardless of their age; these are the real modern buildings and AKM should be one of the best examples for this. The understanding causes AKM to be destructed should be unacceptable since this building has had very important role for the development of the urban culture. We cannot ignore AKM’s positive effects on the city and city dwellers. I don’t think that for this culturally very important building, renovation and strengthening costs cannot be financed. This issue has to be thoroughly evaluated from economical, social and cultural perspectives.

It is so obvious that it is not the case that AKM was constructed in the near future and this construction date does not mean that it cannot have cultural value just because it is not a very old building. AKM has a very high value since it was created to meet the cultural needs of the community, since it has reflected the unique design understanding and construction technologies of its days when Turkey had a very condense cultural events. AKM is a very well known building not only by Istanbul communities but also all Turkish citizens from all levels. AKM has an architectural value because it has reflected the design, architecture and technology understanding of 1970s. It has more memorable value than most of the culturally important buildings since it has connections with numerous events which we cannot forget. AKM has functional and economical value because it still can meet the people’s needs efficiently. Beyond all these reasons, AKM has a symbolic value which is not very easy to be obtained.
I have tried to give some of the reasons to explain why AKM has deserved to be the cultural asset for Turkey more than most of the other cultural structures and why it will mean the disregard of all these values if it is taken away from Turkey’s daily life. This approach means the denial of main basis of protection theory. Investors can suggest architecturally acceptable solutions such as by renovating some parts of it without damaging the urban locations and facets it has created.

Why destroying old culture centers in Istanbul to construct new ones? Right solution will be to update existing ones via renovations and revisions while keeping its actual identity.