Twenty-First Century Gated Communities in Istanbul

in English The idea of gated communities was coined in the USA in 1970s and was a result of the post-modern period and suburbanization. During modernization, cities had gone through social, cultural, political, and economical revisions. Consequently, business and residential areas in the city continued to evolve and create new forms. Following this period gated communities offered new understanding of life, security, relations, and status. Subsequently, the phenomenon has rapidly spread all around the world after the 1980s. Istanbul was introduced to the idea of gated communities in 1980s as a result of globalization by following a new vision of a Global City. Being the historical, cultural, and economic center of Turkey, Istanbul holds a great value in terms of social and economical investments. Following the international neoliberal economic trends, Istanbul has attracted many investors and a large labor force. Consequently, the rising demand of housing and business areas invigorated the real estate market in Istanbul, and gated communities were seen as a modern way of housing. As a result, a variety of gated communities were built in Istanbul to meet this new demand. In this research, the social and cultural reasons for livıng in the gated communities and their impacts towards to its residents..