once upon a time in istanbul

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Once upon a time in Istanbul Posted by Eduardo Oliveira on Oct 25, 2013 in City Brand, Field Trips, Nation Branding | 0 comments photo credit: Eduardo Oliveira Over the years I have become convinced that we learn best and change our way of thinking by hearing stories that strike a chord within us. As Tolstoy once said: ‘All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.’ We understand more of a road by travelling it than from all the descriptions in the world. Each journey is a narrative of life experience. Or at least it should be. But are the place authorities all over the world telling the right story about their own place? Does storytelling really matter when they wish to design a place brand?

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"Streets and markets are not only routes of urban mobility, nor only places for trade. They are informal platforms for discussion and cultural development. Each one tells a small story that, if smartly integrated, will contribute to a genuine brand identity."

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Page 1: Once upon a time in Istanbul

Once upon a time in Istanbul

Posted by Eduardo Oliveira on Oct 25, 2013 in City Brand, Field Trips, Nation Branding | 0

comments

photo credit: Eduardo Oliveira

Over the years I have become convinced that we learn best and change our way of thinking by

hearing stories that strike a chord within us. As Tolstoy once said: ‘All great literature is one of

two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.’

We understand more of a road by travelling it than from all the descriptions in the world. Each

journey is a narrative of life experience. Or at least it should be. But are the place authorities all

over the world telling the right story about their own place? Does storytelling really matter

when they wish to design a place brand?

Page 2: Once upon a time in Istanbul

Stories?! What stories?

In the past two weeks my work has taken me to both Istanbul and Brussels. If I could summarise

both trips in a single word, I would say – ‘storytelling.’ I will clarify this properly in a moment.

While in Brussels, I attended the 4th

European Conference on Public Communication at the

European Parliament and Committee of the Regions. Europcom brought together public

communications professionals from all over Europe with the common aim to improve

government’s communication and raise awareness of European Union policies.

From the discussions, I underlined the idea of ‘storytelling’ as a tool to enhance institutional

reputation. By placing people and their stories at the centre of communication strategies, we

can enhance territorial identity.

The idea of territorial identity has now brought my thoughts to rest on Istanbul. I passionately

believe that journeying to different places, especially where one is a stranger, fosters light and

emotions. These emotions tie us to a country, a region or a city. If travel can be one of the most

rewarding forms of introspection, it should make us think and reflect.

But in order to think, we should experience. And to experience we should do as the locals do. It

seems a win-win situation for the visitor (by providing tourism as an activity) and for the

inhabitants (communities where they live). The visitor becomes immersed in the local identity,

and gets deeply involved with the communities.

Streets, markets, bazaars, squares, and public spaces all tell stories. These stories do not

replace facts, but instead fast-track them to a more memorable stage. It is of great value for a

place brand when those that interact with that place retain certain assets in their minds. If they

can reproduce the stories they heard, or relate their positive experiences to others, then the

place’s reputation will be automatically enhanced.

Istanbul has all the community assets, where tangible elements are fulfilled by intangible

storylines that transport those who interact with them into an imaginarium of Turkey’s history.

Page 3: Once upon a time in Istanbul

photo credit: Eduardo Oliveira

Every single trip to Istanbul is therapy for my soul. On each visit, I immerse myself in the city’s

streets and markets.

This kind of therapy happens though my integration with the local community and my habit of

exploring less touristy places. The spirit of ‘Istanbul United’ makes me part of the frenzied

atmosphere that shakes the city streets. The sounds of a ‘last minute musician’, the smell of

roasted chestnuts, the voice of the ‘simit’ vendor that echoes in İstiklal Caddesi, the taste of

pomegranate juice sipped while petting an enthusiastic cat. Narrow streets connect with

backyards, with coffee shops, markets and historic buildings. All of this is uniquely Istanbul and

can be nowhere else. When I am there, I let the stories unfold, making sure I stay receptive to

interactions with them.

For a spatial planner conducting research in place branding, and also a lover of Turkey, the

intangible elements of a place have an enormous value. Streets and markets tell such valuable

Page 4: Once upon a time in Istanbul

stories to define a potential place brand or to re-imagine a place. The ‘genius loci’ is the neutral

representation of Turkey and Istanbul’s authenticity, history and culture.

It was perhaps a sign of my deep attachment to Istanbul that I felt almost frightened to hear

locals discuss the recent transformations taking place in public spaces and central areas of the

city. Some of those transformations are also mentioned on the blog post Through Istanbul’s

Market Places by Freek Janssens (The ProtoCity editorial board). Janssens highlights the rapidly

changing nature of the city’s character as the municipality authorities aim to ‘shake off its

embarrassing image of informal urbanity.’

Lately, some political decisions in Istanbul have been shutting down periodic markets and

pursuing street vendors, as I personally witnessed along the Galata Bridge. These markets and

vendors are icons that bring the past to the present and make the city unique. I can have a

sandwich in London, Lisbon or Paris – but I can’t have a fresh fish sandwich quite like that one

bought from the Karaköy fish market, with its smells, and against the backdrop of the call to

prayer. More than selling, the market traders are storytellers. They keep Istanbul’s spirit alive;

they are the soul of the city.

Page 5: Once upon a time in Istanbul

Grand Bazaar | photo credit: Sam Mnx

Now is a time where urban planning discussions are focused on re-imagining and re-organising

the city. The focus is often on pedestrian power to shape the cities of the future, and on finding

ways to build and maintain healthy public space,. But Istanbul seems to step back from this

approach. The 13th

Istanbul Biennial was dedicated to the power of public space in terms of

social struggles, art and politics.

A change in approach for public spaces is needed. Instead of re-organising the daily markets,

the city authorities prefer to plan new shopping malls and other private real estate projects.

The danger of this approach is to focus excessively on physical elements, while forgetting the

human stories on which an imagined city could be based. A city needs re-organisation, a change

from how it serves to who it serves. Every urban planning intervention should focus first and

foremost on those who live there.

Page 6: Once upon a time in Istanbul

Getting rid of Istanbul’s public markets and street vendors means extinguishing a cultural vein

of the city. And once they are gone, they cannot easily be brought back. The art of being a

market trader, riding a sandwich pushcart, and bringing stories to daily life will be disappear

along with the destruction of public spaces. Those stories are valuable elements that can

enhance the uniqueness of the city. A great story lingers indelibly on the mind, whereas facts

soon fizzle out.

‘Nar Suyu’ | photo credit: Sam Mnx

Streets and markets are not only routes of urban mobility, nor only places for trade. They are

informal platforms for discussion and cultural development. Each one tells a small story that, if

smartly integrated, will contribute to a genuine brand identity. Often misunderstood as

promotion, an effective place branding process must be strong enough to integrate all the

communities.

Page 7: Once upon a time in Istanbul

Place branding is not about telling the world that our place is better. It is about making our

place better, about keeping those who live there in mind, and telling the world that we are

trying to improve.

A place brand should first be created for those living in the place. With their involvement,

engagement, and their stories the world will soon know how unique the place is. Perhaps more

than storytelling, it’s people telling. Stories connect and tie people to places. Place branding

could be thought of as a form of persuasive storytelling about the future. Urban narratives

could become key for places to distinguish their assets in a globalised world.

- See more at: http://placesbrands.com/once-upon-a-time-in-istanbul/#sthash.3klt62Y0.dpuf