Cultural translation of the commercial streets in Nicosia

Cultural translation of the commercial streets in Nicosia
ARCH 501 ABBAS HEDAYAT OLDOUZ ASSADZADEH NASTARAN CHEGINI

Presentation Structure
Research Question/Aim Keywords Theoretical information about commercial streets Definition of commercial streets General information about Nicosia (Visual, physical, social characteristics) Commercial streets in old part of the city Commercial streets in new development part of the city Physical/Visual/Social aspect of the streets Case Studies Cafe/Restaurant Old/New Shop Old/New Cultural Center Old/New Land Use of the Streets Effect of Cultural Translation in Both Old and New part of the City Comparison Reference

Research Question/Aim
What is the effect of cultural translation on OLD and NEW part of the city(Nicosia)?

Keywords Cultural translation: Interaction of different cultures in various mediums where they adopt, borrow and translate from one another Socialization: Interaction between people Interaction: Create social contact between people Rehabilitation: The process of returning a building to its original state of utility by means of repair or alteration Revitalization: Bringing again in to activity and prominence Identity:Identity is the characteristics that differentiates objects or persons from each other and gives oneness to them.

Theoretical information about commercial streets
Definition of street :A number of buildings facing a common open space. The street is not only a means of access but also an arena for social expression. Street Proportion: The ratio of width of street to height of enclosing buildings is critical for good street design. When, for example, a street is long and wide with two-storey houses ranged along a common frontage all sense of space enclosure is lost. Narrow streets also facilitate shopping; movement from side to side for window gazing its much easier for the shoppers and indeed is effected by the physical form of the buildings.

UNITY IN STREET DESIGN: the buildings should appear as surfaces rather than as mass. When buildings take on strong three-dimensional form the mass of the buildings dominates the scene and the space loses its importance. When the buildings ranged along a street have varied forms, styles and treatment the space loses definition and identity. the use of common materials, details and architectural elements strengthen the unity in many street scenes.

General information about Nicosia (Visual, physical, social characteristics)
The original town from which Nicosia developed was known as Ledra. The city is better known by Medieval name, Nicosia. It lies just to the north of the geographical centre of the island at an elevation of 160 meters. The immediate surroundings of the city are perfectly flat; to the south only some terrace-shaped heights make their appearance (Salvator, 1983). during the Early Byzantine period the town took the name Lefkosa, meaning poplar grove

After the sack of Nicosia by Genoese in 1373, it was walled for the first time (der Perthog, 1994). In 1570 the Ottomans conquered Nicosia. As a result of this, city began to take on an Eastern look with enclosed balconies, latticed windows or dominated minarets to the skyline (der Perthog, 1994). During this period the town changed its aristocratic-feudal character to a modern one, and acquired additional infrastructure, new buildings and facilities for public use: public baths for men and women, aqueducts and fountains to bring into the town, libraries and hostels, all in line with the new Ottoman habits and culture. Besides, existing buildings were transformed to serve better requirements of the new society and its way of life. Parallel to these developments, it also expanded its commercial quarters along east and west axis, formerly a river bed which crossed the town, as a unifying infrastructure for the entire city. The main commercial centre of the city and the other related facilities were concentrated along this axis; caravanserais, covered streets, which were called arasta, open porticoes with shops underneath, and markets of various kinds. Beside, the most important church in the town, St. Sophia Cathedral was converted into a mosque and its squares were used as an open market area (Doratli, 2000).

Nicosia started to expand rapidly after the end of World War II. Its suburbs expanded rapidly during that period. Nicosia has not only faced expansion outside the walls, but also demolition and destruction of old buildings in the walled city (Sahin. N, Daratli. N. 2009).

District typology C CULTURAL TR TRADITIONAL RE RECREATIONAL CO COMMERCIAL A ADDMINISTRATIVE R RESIDENTIAL M MIXUSE E EDUCATIONAL

Commercial streets in old part of the city
The Old City by wonderful architecture is surrounded with Venetian wall in which the shoppers are covered by Belediye Pazarı market, and the Büyük Han (Great Inn), recently restored, is a busy centre for tourists and locals alike. The entrance to the walled city is Kyrenia gate .we can see examples of Gothic architecture such as Selimiye mosque. Also other examples from different eras like;Turkish bath and Venetian columns. Lokmaci Street Ledra Street Arasta Street Sarayonu Street

Before, 1882, the main corridor of commercial activities was in east-west direction towards Famagusta. Existence of two gates, Famagusta and Paphos, has facilitated the interrelationship in this direction. The shift of commercial activities resulted in the increase of density and height of buildings, which consequently changed urban pattern. Direction of development Before 1882 Direction of development After 1882

Market and square: market is the ideal precedent of the Ottoman city, the integrated quarter of the past served as a model for the creation of a new place of interaction ( Salvator, 1983). Market first developed along streets before assuming the form of a defined urban space. For this reason, many new market squares were located immediately next to an important religious building or at the periphery near a town gate. There were usually several markets specializing in various commodities indeed, the entire medieval city functioned as a market.

The ottoman city contained several market types. The bedesten, or market hall was originally used for the sale of silk and other precious fabrics although later many of these were transformed to markets for jewellery (Entoniades, 1991). Bazaars (closed market) were very common for both Turks and Greeks at the past. They were the centers of social life: they extended between the gates of Famagusta and Paphos, and in this manner cut the town fairly in half. They were generally open, simply covered with mats and linen rugs; only four and half of them have regular roof. These were the centers of social life.

Arasta Street Sarayonu Street Ledra Street Arasta Street Sarayonu Street Lokmaci Street

Commercial streets in new development part of the city
This new streets are located out of the walled city and they built in the modern areas of the lefkosa. They are mostly used for commercial purposes , but also they include some residential buildings, And some of them are multifunctional buildings, there are shops at the ground floor and houses on the top floors. There are some lands that there is no construction on them. Unfortunately these new buildings don’t have any harmony in terms of facades and materials. The buildings themselves have their own style but when they gathered in the street next to each other they do not create an identity and style for the street. Lemar road Kaymakli road Metropole road Dereboyo Street

One problem for the new commercial streets is the integration of car parking within the pedestrian and surrounding urban fabric is weak. the city being in a hot country, its streets ought to be made narrow, and the houses high, that by their shade, and by the narrowness of the streets, the heat of the site may be tempered. Streets and their sidewalks, the main public places of a city, are its most vital organs which we couldn’t see well designed in new commercial streets.

Dereboyo Street Kaymakli road Metropole road Lemar road Dereboyo Street Kaymakli road

The Physical aspects of the streets
The physical form of the streets OLD CITY NEW CITY Name of the street ARASTA STREET LOKMACI STREET LEDRA STREET SARAYONU DEREBOYU METROPOL LEMAR KAYMAKLI Straight or curved straight curved Long or short short long Wide or narrow Narrow Wide Density high low Pedestrian pathway continuous Uncontinuous Continuous

The Social aspects of the streets
The social form of the streets OLD CITY NEW CITY Name of the street ARASTA STREET LOKMACI STREET LEDRA STREET SARAYONU DEREBOYU METROPOL LEMAR KAYMAKLI Users Native/Tourist /Greeks Native Native/Tourist Native/Students Degree of interaction High low Space & Identity Exist Non-exist Socializing places Bazar/ Mosque/ BuyukHan Mosque Café/Restaurant Mevlavi Museum/Public square Park/Restaurant Stadium Cemetery

The Visual aspects of the streets
The visual form of the streets OLD CITY NEW CITY Name of the street ARASTA STREET LOKMACI STREET LEDRA STREET SARAYONU DEREBOYU METROPOL LEMAR KAYMAKLI Material Traditional yellow stone Modern Materials(Concrete) Roof Line Clear Unclear Average Height of the buildings 1-2 Stories 3-4 Stories Variety of land use yes no Relationship between outside/inside of the building strong weak

CASE STUDIES

LEDRA road CAFE: Starbucks Coffee
Although this building is a part of old city but it is newly built. The materials that are used in details of the windows are Cypriot traditional yellow stone material. The semi- open, arcade like façade of the building represent the traditional Cypriot arcades that are modernized in this building and increases the social interaction between the people inside and outside. It is a 3 story building. One of the popular and biggest café in this street. The semi-open space in front of the café increases the relationship between the inside and outside of the building. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

DEREBOYO STREET RESTAURANT: Califorian Restaurant
The restaurant is in a great location in the street, it has a good relationship with outside with a big and inviting entrance and semi-open terrace along side of the main road. This restaurant is a great place for socialising. Because of the place and design of this building, people mostly come to this restaurant to sit in the semi-open space and socialize. The restaurant is a 2 story building with a great relation with outside. The materials that are used in this building are mixture of new and natural materials. Due to the glass façade and semi-open terrace in front of the building, the relationship between indoor and outdoor is strong and you feel like being a part of the street. . On the other hand, the building doesn't have any relationship with the surrounding buildings. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

LEDRA road SHOPS Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis
On the ground floor of this building there are 3 different shops with their own and individual design. These functions were added to the old constructed building recently but they didn’t add any identity or value to the historical building. Because of the placement of the building and not any disruption in front of the building and window shops, the relationship between the building and street is strong. The 2 story building is constructed with the old and traditional yellow stone. The balcony of this building represent the entrance of the building underneath. This balcony and material of the building gives identity to it and represent the shops on the ground floor. The inside of the shops were also renovated but the original material is saved. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

METROPOL STREET SHOP: Metropol Visual Analysis Social Analysis
The name of the street came from this famous market. The market brings the most attention in the street. This market attracts people to this street and it is one of the reasons of the crowdedness in this area. The market mostly serves the residents of the social houses. one of the negative points of this building is that it doesn’t have any specific parking area nearby so people have to park next to the street and it would block the view of the shop. there are no visual connection to the street because of the reflecting windows so people can not see the inside of the building so they will not have any idea of the function of this building. The building is four stories and the ground floor is the shopping area, the mezzanine floor is also used for shopping and administration. The second and third floor is mostly storage. This building has three arches on the façade and the name of the market is boldly written on the façade also. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

SARAYONU road MUSEUM: Mevlevi Museum Visual Analysis Social Analysis
The building is located along side of the main street that is one of the most crowded streets in the old part of the city. The building is in Ottoman style and doesn't have a good visual connection to the main street. Unfortunately this building doesn’t have any relationship with the newly build buildings next to it. The building is along side of the very busy street in old part of the city and every day many people are passing, specially tourists cross this road and will be amazed by this museum. Its a one story building along side of the main road. The building is constructed with the traditional yellow stone material. the building is constructed in Ottoman style with the domes as a roof and arches in facade. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

DEREBOYO STREET MUSEUM: Museum of BARBARITY
Its a residential house with a garden which is changed to a museum “This is the house of Dr. Nihat Ilhan, a major who was serving in the Cyprus Turkish Contingent in 1963. During the inter- communal troubles of December that year, the house was attacked by the Greek-Cypriot terrorists. Dr. Ilhan's wife and three children were ruthlessly murdered in the bathroom where they had tried to hide. The house, in the Kumsal district of Nicosia has been preserved as a museum.”(URL1, 2011) The house have a front garden that is a semi-private part of the building and after passing the garden you will go to the inside of the house which is private. It is a 2 story residential building in a quiet residential area. Visual Analysis Social Analysis Physical Analysis

Museum/cultural center and cinema
Land use of the streets OLD CITY NEW CITY Name of the street ARASTA STREET LOKMACI STREET LEDRA STREET SARAYONU DEREBOYU METROPOL LEMAR KAYMAKLI shops 30 24 109 34 46 53 48 café/restaurant 3 5 23 4 9 Museum/cultural center and cinema traditional hamam: 1 Mosque: 2 2 1 others Empty building:17 Banks and exchanges:4 Hotel/casino: 2 Law court: Police station: Betting house: 1 Insurance company: 2 Number of banks &exchange: 4 Betting: High school: Park: 1 Stadium:1

Effect of cultural translation in both old and new part of the city
Public/Private New additions did not affect the physical structure of the public open spaces in the walled city Cyprus is affected by people from different cultures and it influenced people lifestyle. In old part of the city residential houses mostly changed to commercial proposes Architectural elements from different cultures can be seen in features of the buildings in both old and new part of the city, for instance, capitals of columns, Cypriot arches and semi-open spaces like terraces. Users Cultural translation Function Architectural Element

Walled city of Nicosia had faced with different cultures throughout the history. And historic building existing in this city remained from different periods. Due to the effect of these different cultures, buildings were constructed with special characteristics features of those periods. Especially buildings located in the traditional or cultural districts reflect the characteristic features and architectural details of those periods. Since new additions did not affect the physical structure of the public open spaces in the walled city, they almost preserved its original character except the deterioration and obsolescence occurred as a result of improper maintenance.

Commercial districts are the focal points of both northern and southern part of the walled city. In the southern part pedestrian streets are the most common type of public open spaces. Ledra Street has been rehabilitated. In the northern part, commercial district is one of the magnet points of the city. Primary vehicular street and the major square located at the center of this district. However, like southern part of the city commercial districts are not very rich in terms of public open space variety.

COMPARISON There is big difference between old and new part of the city which influence on social, visual and physical aspects. From social aspect there are more gathering squares in the old part and the pedestrian ways designed more efficiently in the old streets and this factor could create more interaction between people but in new commercial streets we observed that the cars which are parked in front of the shops are blocking the windows of the shops and pedestrian pathway. In the Ledra street we can see that the historical houses are given a new function and new identity by transforming them to commercial places. This transformation prevented the historical buildings to be neglected and be forgotten so by giving them a new function these buildings have been given a new life and identity, and that is called Revitalization.

COMPARISON In social point of view, in the old part of the town, interaction of people is more than the new development areas because of the social gathering places that are designed in the heart of the streets of old city. The historical buildings are attracting people as landmarks by their specific architectural style in the old part of the city but this focal point is missing in the new development areas. In the new development areas of the city, the only places that are good for socialization are the places that people should spend money to be able to gather but on the other hand, in the old parts of the city there are many places for people to gather and socialize freely. The narrow pedestrianized city street with continuous enclosing walls slightly higher than street width are most successful for some old commercial streets.

Transformation of private & public spaces in old and new part of the city
Space organization in new part of the city Space organization in new part of the city SHOPS SHOPS Vehicular road Pedestrian street Pedestrian pathway

COMPARISON Metropol Lokmaci
the density of the buildings in new streets are decreasing in comparison to the walled city. Lokmaci In the old part of the city we witness that the density of the buildings are higher than the new parts. The shops are placed near to each other without any empty space between them.

COMPARISON ARASTA STREET DEREBOYO STREET LOKMACI STREET LEMAR STREET
Old Part of the city New development part of the city ARASTA STREET DEREBOYO STREET METROPOL STREET LOKMACI STREET There is a distance between the streets which are located in the old areas and the new ones. There is big difference between old and new part of the city which influence on social, visual and physical aspects. From social aspect there are more gathering squares in the old part and the pedestrian ways designed more efficiently in the old streets and this factor could create more interaction between people but in new commercial street s we observed that the cars which are parked in front of the shops are blocking the windows of the shops and pedestrian pathway. LEMAR STREET LEDRA road KAYMAKLI STREET SARAYONU road

References Pasaoglulari Sahin, N., Doratli, N. (2009), Design principles of public open spaces in the walled cities, Germany, VDM Verlag Muller Aktiengesellschaft & Co.KG.pp Keshishian, K. (1960). A Comprehensive guide for tourists and travellers: Romantic Cyprus. Stourbridge: Mark and Moody Ltd. Der Parthog, G. (1994). Byzantine and Medieval Cyprus: Aguide to the monuments. UK: Interworld Publications. Salvator, L. (1983). Levkosia: the Capital city of Cyprus. London: Trigrap. Demi, D. (1991). The walled city of Nicosia, Atypology study, Nicosia master plan (unpublished report). Nicosia: UNDP. Doratli, N. (2000), A model for conservation and revitalisation of historic urban quarters in TRNC Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta. Moughtin, C., (2003), STREET AND SQUARE, Oxford ,Architectural Press, An imprint of Elsevier Science, Linacre House, Jordan Hill. Mitchell, L., Burton, E. (2006), Streets for Life, Oxford, Architectural Press is an imprint of Elsevier, Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK. URL1: URL2: URL3:

Cultural translation of the commercial streets in Nicosia

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