Spatial Transformations in Istanbul CBD: The Role of ICT?

Abstract

Now with the intensive use of information and communication technologies, many cities around the world are competing to become a global city. Istanbul is enumerated within the first 50 cities in the globalization process, other than the triad of New York, London, and Tokyo. This chapter explores urban space transformation of Maslak, the contemporary central business district of Istanbul, with respect to information and communication technologies, by using deconcentration and economic restructuring approaches of urban theory. Compared to other global cities, Istanbul has distinctive characteristics, since it has been passing through a unique transformation process. More specifically, its economic, political, and social characteristics distinguish Istanbul from other cities within the same category (Gamma) of world cities. This study has revealed that transformations in Istanbul were not primarily driven by information and communication technologies. In contrast information and communication technology’s role in the transformation of the Istanbul central business district is only a contributing factor.