urban informality of ankara dikmen-a case study

urban planing history of ankara dikmen

1. A CASE STUDY: THE DIKMEN VALLEY PROJECT IN
ANKARA
Urban Informality:
Politecnico di Milano AUIC 2023/2024 Urban Planning
Prof. Pacchi Carolina
Group n. 10
Engin Ege GUREL
Eylul Deniz HARBI
Ezgi SONMEZ
Asli UNMAK

2. CONTENT
01
02
03
04
06
07
WHAT IS URBAN INFORMALITY?
INTRODUCTION: THE INFORMAL SETTLEMENT PROBLEM IN ANKARA
DIKMEN: A SLUM TURNED INTO NEIGHBORHOOD
DESIGN AND PROCESS COMPONENTS OF THE DIKMEN PROJECT
CONCLUSION: SOLUTIONS AND RESULTS
REFERENCES
05
SLUM RESETTLEMENT PROCEDURE

3. Urban informality refers to the existence of
economic, social, and political activities in urban
areas that are not regulated or monitored by state
institutions, and which often operate informally
because they do not meet formal regulations and
requirements.
Some keywords to explain the concept of slum:
poor or informal housing
inadequate access to safe water and
sanitation
lack of security
WHAT IS URBAN INFORMALITY?

4. INTRODUCTION:
Ankara has consistently faced a housing shortage
due to the city's rapid population growth and
extensive migration from rural areas.
This persistent shortfall in formal housing has led
to the emergence and proliferation of informal
settlements, commonly known as gecekondu
in Turkish, which literally translates to "built
overnight." These self-constructed, unauthorized
dwellings have become a significant feature of
Ankara’s urban landscape.
The Informal settlement Problem In Ankara

5. Informal settlement areas in Ankara

6. TIMELINE OF THE DIKMEN PROJECT
Environmental development
and housing construction
cooperatives are established
in five neighborhoods with
initiative from squatter
settlers. The first two stages
of the project aim to enable
participation of the squatter
inhabitants in the planning
process along with private
contractors.
mid-1990s
The Dikmen Valley Urban Regeneration Project aims to upgrade slums by providing affordable housing to former squatter inhabitants and preventing
the expansion of squatter settlements on the city's periphery.
1989-1990
The Dikmen Project evolves
into a gentrification project
After the first two stages of
the project are completed in
the early 1990s, the project
was reformulated with more
evident rent-seeking
concerns by the election of a
conservative mayor.
1994
The Dikmen Project was
reformulated with market-
oriented principles to
emphasize citizen
participation, although such
public-private participation
has been criticized for
aiming to prevent public
resistance to urban
transformation rather than
involving the squatters in
planning schemes.
2000s
Dikmen Project's
socioeconomic demographics
have been significantly
transformed. Affordable
housing units are replaced by
luxury ones, with the latter
dominating over time.

7. DIKMEN: A SLUM TURNED INTO NEIGHBORHOOD
The valley was included in the previous plans of Ankara
as a green belt between residential areas.
After the 1960s, parks and green areas were gradually
developed within valleys in the city. However, the Dikmen
Valley was left on its own and became an attractive site
for slums because not completed projects implemented
in and around the valley encouraged illegal buildings.
Dikmen housing and urban development project
aims to clear the valley area, which contains
approximately 4000 squatter houses, and provide modern
housing and a regular environment to the squatters in the
same area.
Additionally, the project aims to offer social and cultural
services and improve infrastructure in the valley.

8. DESIGN AND PROCESS COMPONENTS OF THE
DIKMEN PROJECT
There were three major targets in the project:
to create an open air corridor for the green belt and to reduce the air
pollution;
to develop an urban landmark with well planned cultural and
recreational areas;
to supply low cost housing for the inhabitants.
The project is designed in the hills of the valley as high rise housing
and proposed recreational and cultural activities.
The municipal authorities and planners emphasise that it is not
primarily a housing project but a large-scale recreation project for
the valley.
This recreational corridor was not only for the valley residents but for
the whole city.

9. Check plot
size
Check if applied for
legalization before
1985 NO
YES
Household must
leave the area
300-350 sq. meters: Grant one new flat and rental
assistance
> 350 sq. meters: Expropriate excess land, grant one
new flat and rental assistance
< 300 sq. meters: Option to expropriate or owner
pays for additional land, grant one new flat and
rental assistance
municipal land
private ownership other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Ayranci Ilkadim M. Akkus
OWNERSHIP
DISTRIBUTION
IDENTIFY
SLUM
HOUSEHOLD
The slum resettlement project in Ankara involves a detailed and structured process to ensure fair resettlement
and compensation for right holders while addressing the complex land ownership issues in the affected areas.
SLUM RESETTLEMENT PROCEDURE

10. Approximately 4000 families are provided with housing in the project.
The first stage and second phase have been completed, and the area has been cleared of squatter houses, with
construction of the green area planned.
In the third, fourth, and fifth phases combined with the second stage, rent and housing prices have been
approved by the council, and housing agreements have begun.
In the first phase, 404 housing units were completed. Approximately 19 hectares of the area were designated for
green spaces (58%).
The apartment houses have not been favoured by all slum residents. For example, some shanty owners sold
their flats and bought two shanties in other parts of the city.
Speculation by construction firms and increasing value of land is another important issue. This physical
transformation also ignored the question of lifestyles and sense of community.
In the new settlement they are entering in contact with other tenants who come from different socio-economic
background. This certainly creates a problem of social identity and integration.

CONCLUSION: SOLUTIONS AND RESULTS

11. The planned uses in the entire project area include:
Culture Park: This large area of the valley will include
social, cultural, entertainment, and recreational areas.
Social Facilities: Facilities for nursery, kindergarten,
primary education, health, and cultural services.
Municipal Service Areas: These areas will provide
necessary municipal services for the valley and its
surroundings, including housing and commercial uses.

12. Federico Malusardi and Giuseppe Occhipinti - University of Rome “La Sapienza”, DPTU Informal Settlements Upgrading:
the Gececondus in Ankara, 39th ISoCaRP Congress 2003, Cairo.
Ozkan, Selcen. “Başkent Ankara’s Housing Problem in Urbanization.” 2018, pp. 383–424.
Saglam, Hakan. “Kentsel Donusum Tartismalari.” TMMOB Mimarlar Odasi, Aug. 2006.
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Vadisi Projesi.” Istanbul Technical University, ITU, 2002, pp. 1–161.
Aylin Topal, Galip L. Yalman & Özlem Çelik (2018): Changing modalities of urban redevelopment and housing finance in
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