Traditional Shopping A Syntactic Comparison of Commercial Spaces in Iran and Turkey
Erincik EDGÜ PhD, Assistant Professor, Cyprus International University Alper ÜNLÜ PhD, Professor, Istanbul Technical University Mehmet Emin ŞALGAMCIOĞLUPhD Candidate, Research Assistant, Istanbul Technical University Ashkan MANSOURIPhD Candidate, Istanbul Technical University
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Commerce is an ancient economical system that establishes legal and ethical foundations, improving cultural relations, on safe and secure routes
Silk Road was once the most important route of commerce, knowledge, philosophy, religion, art and architecture, science and technology, which connects the great civilizations of Far East to the West
Extending over 8000 km, The Silk Road developed and interconnected networks linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, missionaries, soldiers, nomads, urban dwellers and intellectuals from East, South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean World, including North Africa and Europe for thousands of years
Commerce and Silk Road
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
2nd century BC to 4th century AD
5th century AD to beginning of 13th century AD
13th century AD to 16th century AD
The Silk Roads
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Commerce and Silk Road
The Interaction of different cultures through commerce helped to develop a traditional insight to shopping activity and design that are being preserved in the hearts of cities situated on the ancient routes and ports of the Silk Road
Traditional Islamic Bazaars are generally built in a long time period through centuries with organic patterned extensions
Islamic Bazaars also had connections to important religious, governmental or public buildings, and defined the major streets of urban fabric
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Commerce and Guild System
Bazaar organizations were formed according to hierarchically developing guild system
In Guild System apprentice-master relationship is the most important phenomenon, forming the vertical line
Guilds of various artisans and craftsmen were forming the horizontal line in terms of locations of the manufacturers, merchants and such in the traditional shopping areas
Research Area
In this research we compared the physical layout of traditional covered bazaars (CB) of the two most important regions of the Silk Road route: . Persia (Iran). Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
The covered bazaars are studied in the context of two former capitals influencing the cultural, architectural and legal characteristics of the era: . Tabriz. Istanbul
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Social Aspects
In Turkish social system, covered bazaars are usually built as a part of a larger complex including hamams, soup kitchens etc.
This kind of larger complex is a source of revenue for mosques, religious or charitable trusts known as foundations (vakif)
In Vakifs, the donated assets cannot be turned over to individuals or institutionsE. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Istanbul TabrizIn Iranian system covered bazaars are built by state authorities or wealthy individuals solely for the purpose of commerce
If build by individuals, may also include public amenities such as hamams, schools, soup kitchens
Iranian bazaars have a strong political and/or religious rituals, acting as a reflection of social indicator
Spatial Definitions
Rāstās or arastas : Linear shopping strips, covered passageways
Chārsugs or çarşıs : Intersection points of shopping strips
Sarās or hans : Former accommodation buildings, guild centers
Bedesten : The covered and enclosed core building in Turkish Covered Bazaars (CB)
Meydans : Squares, serving as the hubs of the street network
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Samples of rāstās or arastas with different typologies always include a pedestrian area
chārsug or çarşı is composed of these group of shops
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Spatial Definitions
a sample of an enclosed bedesten with two entrances
sarā or han with the courtyard
Spatial Definitions
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Iranian CasePhysical layout
Iranian bazaar structure relies on linear shopping strips
Rāstās combined to compose chārsugs at intersections
Sara serving as the hubs of the network
Bazaars are formed either organic or planned
Usually located at the center of the cities
The layouts are usually linear in shape, defining the public and socio-cultural spaces
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The site plan of The Tabriz Bazaar divided by Mehran River
Linear shopping strips
Rāstās combined to compose chārsugs at intersections
Sara serving as the hubs of the network
Physical layout
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Turkish CasePhysical layout
Bedesten - the covered and enclosed core building, where the most expensive and valuable goods are exchanged - determines the formation of the whole bazaar
Contrary to usually timber-framed linear shops, bedesten (closed hub with an inner courtyard) and arastas (linear shopping strips) of the Turkish bazaars are predesigned and built in single sessions without any expansion
However if expansion is needed new arastas are built in gridiron blocks
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Old Bedesten located at the center Sandal Bedesten on lower right
Bedesten (closed hub with an inner courtyard) Arastas (linear shopping strip) are always built in gridiron blocks
Site Plan of The Grand Bazaar
Physical layout
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
We assume that Gridiron-Nodal type of spatial configuration of the bazaars boosts social gatheringsLinear-Clustered articulation and spatial configuration of the bazaars boosts pedestrian flow changes in terms of function
Accumulation of various architectural elements, location of tradesmen/craftsmen, guild system are the key factors of bazaar formation and user perception
University of Michigan’s Syntax 2D software is executed to calculate the circularity and integration n values in order to understand the spatial relations in Covered Bazaars (CB)
Study is based on situation of sites at the beginning of 20th Century
Scope – Method
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
In many of the Islamic societies, various intermediating units were created to carry out relations between the government and the individual. Guild system (lonca) was one of these organisations in charge of professions
-Guilds had economic, fiscal, administrative and social functions - Guilds had a framework of rules and customs, partly unwritten
but orally transmitted and partly laid down in official regulations- Apprentices were affiliated with the guild through their masters - The presence of guilds affected the formation of shopping strips- This system helped to facilitate the customer’s circulation and
comparison, maintained the quality and price control for both- On the other hand, shops cannot compete on the basis of their
location advantages
Scope – Method Guilds
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
We question the characteristics of Guild system location wise and examine if individual incentives are also seen
Following trading sectors are analysed: - Gold / Jewellery sellers, Goldsmiths- Silver sellers, Silversmiths- Copper makers and copper sellers- Metal works, iron works.- Clothing and accessories like hats- Carpet sellers- Leather works, shoe, bag, purse sellers, mink sellers- Silk, cotton, etc. fabric sellers and products of textile- Wooden works and carpenters, furniture- Glass works, Glass and Mirror sellers
Scope – Method Guilds – Trading Activities in Tabriz and Istanbul Covered Bazaars
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Spatial Configuration
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The allocation of bazaar functions in The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul (left) and The Tabriz Bazaar (right)
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The allocation of bazaar functions in The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul
- Istanbul CB reflects a gridiron structure, reinforcing main arteries and streets intersecting with each other
- In both bazaars we see the effects of linear based typology of rāstās and arastas however developed in different structural layouts
- Bedestens of Istanbul have unique positions in CB both in syntactic and semantic level
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The allocation of bazaar functions in The Tabriz Bazaar
- Tabriz CB does not directly expose any grid or intersections
- The formation of sarās alongside the main arteries is the basic philosophy of configuration
- Sarās present a uniform layout through the bazaar but, in Istanbul they are located outside the CB core
- Tabriz shopping is organized through less integrated sarās while Istanbul shopping is organized through integrated arastas
Simplified schemas of spatial configuration in Tabriz and Istanbul covered bazaars
sara
rasta
arasta
bedesten
rasta
rasta rasta
sara
sara
sara
sara
bedesten
arasta
arasta
arasta
- Comparison of spatial configurations based on parameters such as mean depth and integration levels
- The depth or shallowness of spaces, may be related with the determinants of social structure in these cultures
In the comparison of spatial configurations, the diameter around
the centre of the covered bazaars is determined as 750 meters due to the maximum distance of the pedestrian’s walk in both cities
The University of Michigan software, Syntax 2D is used in for the syntactic calculations, and SPSS for correlations of the obtained numeric data
Analysis – Method Syntactic Aspect of the research
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
- Circularity - Integration n
Circularity analysis is crucial for examining the compactness of the spaces - Visit durations or motivations on using, visiting a street, and passing through it- Integration n gives integration levels as well as the connectivity.
The circularity is one of the Benedikt’s geometric measures from which isovist fields could be established.
- Circularity is a measure of compactness, defined as the ratio of the square of the perimeter to area
- Circularity is not only a measure of how well a space approximates a circle, but is also a measure of the viewpoint’s position within the space
- Circularity is also a measure of the centrality of the viewpoint within the space - Determined by calculating the area of a perfect circle, whose radius is set to the
mean radial length of the isovist and then dividing this by the area of the isovist
Analysis – Method Syntactic Aspect of the research
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
When Syntax 2D is applied with the diameter of 750 meters, the outcomes in mean integration n values for both of the Covered Bazaars present a striking difference
The mean of calculated integration n (MI-n) value is :
0.797 for Istanbul 0.0794 for Tabriz
The values show that Tabriz is extremely deep, approximately 10 times deeper than Istanbul in comparison
Gridiron structure provides circularity and shallowness when compared to linear/clustered structure of Tabriz
AnalysisSyntactic Comparisons
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
AnalysisIntegration n analyses of Tabriz CB and Istanbul CB (produced by Syntax 2D)
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Tabriz CB Istanbul CB
AnalysisCircularity analyses of Tabriz CB and Istanbul CB (produced by Syntax 2D)
Tabriz CB Istanbul CBE. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Sectors of TradesmenPossible average Impact Ratio (MRI n) for Tabriz
and CI (circularity) values with degrees
Location in Tabriz CBPossible average Impact
Ratio (MRI n) for Istanbul and CI (circularity) values
with degreesLocation in Istanbul CB
Gold / Jewellery sellers, Goldsmiths
Degree: 2nd MRI n=0.064x106
CI=55
Deep in the CB. Depth value is high.
Degree: 4th - 5th MRI n=1.24x106
CI=1020 (2nd-5th)
Located on the main arteries and some inner streets
Silver sellersDegree: 2nd MRI n=0.032x106
CI=136
Located around the courtyards
Degree: 2nd - 4th MRI n=0.75x106
CI=433 (1st-2nd)
Located around the bedesten and streets
Copper makers and copper sellers
Degree: 2nd - 3rd MRI n=0.138x106
CI=152Located in the edge
Degree: 2nd
MRI n=0.4x106
CI=349 (1st-2nd)
Low integration located in the edge
Metal works, iron worksDegree: 2nd - 3rd MRI n=0.092x106
CI=250
Inserted in copper makers
Degree: 1st MRI n=0.07x106
CI=380 (1st-2nd)
Located in the edge, deep spaces or around the bedesten
Clothing, accessoriesDegree: 1st – 5th MRI n=0.088x106
CI=97Located in the edge
Degree: 3rd - 4th
MRI n=1.02x106
CI=360 (1st-2nd)
More integrated, on the streets, close the main arteries
Carpet sellersDegree: 1st MRI n=0.008 x106
CI=174
Low integration, located around the courtyards / nodes
Degree: 3rd - 4th
MRI n=1.16x106
CI=1100 (2nd-4th)
Located on the centre, on the streets, more integrated
Leather works, shoe, bag, purse sellers, mink sellers
Degree: 1st - 2nd MRI n=0.040 x106
CI=142
Low integration, located on the streets
Degree: 2nd - 4th MRI n=0.88x106
CI=766 (1st-3rd)
Located around the bedesten or streets
Fabric, Textile works, silk sellers
Degree: 1st - 3rd MRI n=0.051 x106
CI=193
Located around the courtyard, located on the second type of arteries
Degree: 3rd - 4th MRI n=1.19x106
CI=933 (1st-3rd)
Located on the main arteries and sometimes gridiron nodes
Wooden works and carpenters, furniture
Degree: 1st - 2nd MRI n=0.035 x106
CI=45
Located on the edge and the type is mainly street
Degree: 2nd MRI n=0.37x106
CI=516 (1st-2nd)
Located around the courtyard
Glass works, Glass and Mirror sellers
Degree: 2nd MRI n=0.053x106
CI=156Located in the edge
Degree: 3rd MRI n=0.89x106
CI=266 (1st-2nd)
On the specific called, moderately integrated streets
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
The highest rankings for integration of Istanbul CB :1-Gold 2-Textile 3-CarpetThe highest rankings for circulation of Istanbul CB :1-Carpet 2-Gold 3-Textiledisplaying the main trades in Istanbul Covered Bazaar.These trading sectors also exhibit more circularity in terms of ranking 1st – 3rd in Istanbul.
The highest rankings for Integration of Tabriz CB :1-Copper 2-Metal 3-Clothes The highest rankings for circulation of Tabriz CB :1-Metal 2-Textile 3-CarpetAs the most accessible sector, metal works present a high integration value with the highest circularity, where Metal and Clothes Sectors have low circularity levels.On the other hand, Textile and carpet sectors have high circularity values with low integration.E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Trading Sectors
Ranking of TABRIZ
INTEGRATION
Ranking of TABRIZ
CIRCULARITY
Ranking of ISTANBUL
INTEGRATION
Ranking of ISTANBUL
CIRCULARITY
GOLD 4 9 1 2
SILVER 9 6 7 6
COPPER 1 5 8 9
METAL 2 1 10 7
CLOTHES 3 8 4 8
CARPET 10 3 3 1
LEATHER 7 7 6 4
TEXTILE 6 2 2 3
WOOD 8 10 9 5
GLASS 5 4 5 10
The Comparison of Ranks due to Integration and Circularity Values of Trading Sectors in Tabriz and Istanbul CBs (1 is the highest, 10 is the lowest)
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Gold, Textile, Carpet sectors are important for Istanbul in terms of circularity and integration levels
Istanbul has gridiron structure, this kind of spatial configuration that is dependent to system, makes trading sectors like gold, textile and carpet more integrated with higher circularity values
Tabriz has sarās and sara configurations which are independent in the system makes even the important trading sectors less integrated and low circularity valuedTabriz CB also have sarās with less integrated location in the system having higher circularity values as a result of the independent spatial configuration
DiscussionAnalysis
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Istanbul- Gridiron Istanbul CB presents a hierarchy of spaces in relation to
trading sectors- Wide and long axis boosts the accessibility and circularity - The important trading sectors allocates on the main arteries
and they have higher circularity values in the schema
Tabriz- Clustered Tabriz CB controversially, presents the independent
shopping areas that are bound each other on two main axes- Each sara presents a high value in circularity, but low in
integration- The location of trading sectors does not show correlation
between integration and circularity
DiscussionAnalysis
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Iranian and Turkish covered bazaars share many similarities; however, Tabriz example has a clustered, sequentially linked structure affecting the shopping activity
Clustered structure in Tabriz CB presents independency in shopping activities based on sara formationsThe Courtyard based trading sectors create independent but enclaved areas for shopping in Tabriz
Gridiron plan of Istanbul enlarges the shopping activity with high permissiveness between the sectors
Conclusion
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The movement is more distributed in areas that provide opportunities to discover new visual information as we have seen in Istanbul CBIstanbul’s Gridiron structure allows people to move forward to every direction as they perceive and walk around different parts of the bazaar
In Tabriz, visual choices are extremely limited because of independent sarās and linear configuration of the Bazaar when compared to Istanbul. We tend to move on determined paths and avoid adventures in the Tabriz CB’s situation.
Conclusion
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Tabriz CB preserves its original purpose of shopping by variety of goods
Istanbul CB preserves the bedesten based goods with relatively expensive goods on the highly integrated central axes.
As the guild system works in similar ways in both bazaars corresponding to the beginning of 20th century, pedestrian circulation is through:- directed routes in Istanbul - dispersed but longer routes in Tabriz
Conclusion
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Tabriz Case
1- Segment Based Schema (sara)
2- Limited Circularity
3- Low Integration Level for Segments (for sarās in General system)
4- Limited Visuality in Sarās
5- Trading Limited in Segments
Istanbul Case
1-Grideron Based Schema Occurred Around Arasta/Bedesten.
2- High Value in Circularity
3- High Integration Level in General
4- High Level of Visuality
5- Trading is Expandable
Conclusion
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
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