ANNUAL CONGRESS 2025

Participatory heritage planning in practice: Lessons from Balıkçıköy, Istanbul

Not scheduled

20m

Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul

Oral Track 06 | URBAN CULTURES AND LIVED HERITAGE

Speakers

Mrs Busra Nur Gundogdu (Istanbul Technical University)Prof. Imge Akcakaya Waite (Istanbul Technical University)

Description

Contemporary urban governance systems in heritage management face unprecedented complexity and challenges, particularly in reconciling participatory planning aspirations and realities with the need to balance the everyday life practices of local communities and formal planning processes. While UNESCO's 'living heritage' framework emphasizes the conservation of both tangible and intangible assets, translating the knowledge generated through communities' daily experiences and cultural practices into actionable planning decisions remains a significant challenge (Bandarin and van Oers, 2012). The gap between theoretical framework and practice has become increasingly evident as local communities, despite their vital role in cultural landscape conservation, encounter systemic barriers within formal planning processes. Thus, there is a clear need for more empirical studies to bridge the said gap.
The process of the Balıkçıköy Conservation Development Plan (CDP) in Maltepe, Istanbul, presents a critical case study for examining these challenges. Known for its historical fishing identity which gives the neighborhood its name, Balıkçıköy Conservation Area is an area that has substantially retained its traditional physical and social fabric, harmoniously blending registered historical buildings with residential and commercial activities. The plan claims to have a people-centered participatory discourse with an emphasis on the sustainability of its unique qualities. Therefore, the primary motivation behind its preparation and implementation is to mitigate adverse transformations in Balıkçıköy resulting from global heritage site pressures, including tourism pressures, gentrification and spatial commodification, which are further deepened by conditions such as economic constraints on local stakeholders, infrastructure modernization demands, and deteriorating historic building stock. This complex interplay of challenges and objectives provides a unique context for examining how participatory planning approaches can be reconciled with social justice and inclusivity goals in heritage management.
This study investigates heritage-focused community participation over the case of Balıkçıköy through three interconnected dimensions: the mechanisms for translating community consultation findings into technical planning decisions; the methodological approaches for bridging community heritage values with formal planning frameworks; and the representational adequacy of documented consultation outcomes. Building upon Arnstein's (1969) seminal critique of tokenistic participation and incorporating recent theoretical advances in Healey’s (2003) collaborative planning, the study develops a comprehensive framework for evaluating participatory effectiveness in heritage contexts.
The research methodology employs four stages. First, content analysis of participation reports and planning documents evaluates how community input is documented and framed. Second, semi-structured interviews with local community members examine their understanding of the site's value, daily interactions, and experiences with the engagement process of the Balıkçıköy CDP. Third, semi-structured interviews with planning professionals assess the challenges of integrating community feedback into formal planning decisions. Finally, findings are synthesized into an analytical framework, evaluating the effectiveness of participation in terms of representation, access, transparency, inclusiveness, and impact, while providing insights into both procedural and outcome-oriented aspects.
This study contributes to participatory heritage planning in several ways. It develops an adaptable framework for evaluating participatory effectiveness, informed by criteria such as inclusiveness and transparency, ensuring applicability across diverse contexts. It identifies mechanisms for translating community knowledge into actionable decisions, addressing challenges like misalignment between community values and technical planning frameworks. It also provides empirically grounded recommendations by comparing documented consultation outcomes with insights from community members and planning professionals. The study thus demonstrates that heritage is not a static condition but a dynamic process continuously redefined through communities' everyday life practices. The findings reveal discrepancies between participatory ideals and implementation, and the importance of adaptive governance models that align participatory goals with practical realities. By bridging these gaps, the study offers a comprehensive framework for improving participatory planning practices in heritage contexts, with actionable strategies for achieving equitable and sustainable planning, particularly in rapidly transforming urban environments.

References

Arnstein, S. R. (1969) 'A Ladder of Citizen Participation', Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), pp.216-224.
Bandarin, F. and Van Oers, R. (2012) The Historic Urban Landscape: Managing Heritage in an Urban Century. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Healey, P. (2003). Collaborative Planning in Perspective. Planning Theory, 2(2), pp.101-123.