The Turkish Council of State in Ankara recently ruled that the OnaltiDokuz Residence in Istanbul must be demolished, ArchDaily reports.
The completed high-rise residential towers, a trio of structures between 27 and 37 stories in Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu district, was ruled as negatively affecting “the world heritage site that the Turkish government was obliged to protect,” reported Oliver Wainwright for the Guardian.
Back in 2013, Hürriyet News, one of Turkey’s widely circulated newspapers, reported that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an had requested the developer, led by businessman Mesut Toprak, to give the buildings a “haircut,” and was at the time unhappy that Toprak had so far not done so.
Archdaily speculates the government’s action is a reaction to UNESCO’s comments back in 2010, after threatening to put Turkey’s largest city on its list of endangered world heritage sites.
The demolition ruling puts the Istanul Metropolitan Municipality at risk of an astronomical compensation claim, because the development was both complete and units have been sold.
To learn more about the ruling’s political implications and potential ripple effect on development and construction in Turkey, head to the article in the Guardian.
Related Stories
| Sep 13, 2010
World's busiest land port also to be its greenest
A larger, more efficient, and supergreen border crossing facility is planned for the San Ysidro (Calif.) Port of Entry to better handle the more than 100,000 people who cross the U.S.-Mexico border there each day.
| Sep 13, 2010
Triple-LEED for Engineering Firm's HQ
With more than 250 LEED projects in the works, Enermodal Engineering is Canada's most prolific green building consulting firm. In 2007, with the firm outgrowing its home office in Kitchener, Ont., the decision was made go all out with a new green building. The goal: triple Platinum for New Construction, Commercial Interiors, and Existing Buildings: O&M.
| Sep 13, 2010
Stadium Scores Big with Cowboys' Fans
Jerry Jones, controversial billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, wanted the team's new stadium in Arlington, Texas, to really amp up the fan experience. The organization spent $1.2 billion building a massive three-million-sf arena that seats 80,000 (with room for another 20,000) and has more than 300 private suites, some at field level-a first for an NFL stadium.
| Sep 13, 2010
'A Model for the Entire Industry'
How a university and its Building Team forged a relationship with 'the toughest building authority in the country' to bring a replacement hospital in early and under budget.
| Sep 13, 2010
Committed to the Core
How a forward-looking city government, a growth-minded university, a developer with vision, and a determined Building Team are breathing life into downtown Phoenix.
| Sep 13, 2010
Conquering a Mountain of Construction Challenges
Brutal winter weather, shortages of materials, escalating costs, occasional visits from the local bear population-all these were joys this Building Team experienced working a new resort high up in the Sierra Nevada.
| Sep 13, 2010
Data Centers Keeping Energy, Security in Check
Power consumption for data centers doubled from 2000 and 2006, and it is anticipated to double again by 2011, making these mission-critical facilities the nation's largest commercial user of electric power. With major technology companies investing heavily in new data centers, it's no wonder Building Teams see these mission-critical facilities as a golden opportunity, and why they are working hard to keep energy costs at data centers in check.
| Sep 13, 2010
3D Prototyping Goes Low-cost
Today’s less costly 3D color printers are attracting the attention of AEC firms looking to rapidly prototype designs and communicate design intent to clients.
| Aug 11, 2010
Cubellis principals reorganize as CI design
Former principals of Cubellis Inc. have formed ci design "with a stellar group of projects in the United States and internationally," states John Larsen who, with Richard Rankin and Christopher Ladd, is leading the architecture and planning firm.
| Aug 11, 2010
Leo A Daly changes name of STH, completes acquisition
LEO A DALY has changed the name of STH Architectural Group to the name of its parent company, Leo A Daly. STH was acquired in February 2009 as a strategic move to accelerate growth in its core business sectors and to strengthen the firm's presence in the Florida market.