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 ŞALGAMCIOĞLU
PhD Candidate, Research Assistant, Istanbul Technical University
Ashkan MANSOURI
PhD Candidate, Istanbul Technical University
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Commerce and Silk Road
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
The Silk Roads
2nd century BC to 4th century AD
5th century AD to beginning of 13th century AD
13th century AD to 16th century AD
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
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
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
Istanbul
Tabriz
In Turkish social system,
covered bazaars are usually
built as a part of a larger
complex including hamams,
soup kitchens etc.
In Iranian system covered
bazaars are built by state
authorities
or
wealthy
individuals solely for the purpose
of commerce
This kind of larger complex is a
source of revenue for mosques,
religious or charitable trusts
known as foundations (vakif)
If build by individuals, may also
include public amenities such as
hamams, schools, soup kitchens
In Vakifs, the donated assets
cannot be turned over to
individuals or institutions
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
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
Spatial Definitions
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
courtyard
with
the
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Physical layout
Iranian Case
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
Physical layout
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Physical layout
Turkish Case
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
Physical layout
Site Plan of The Grand Bazaar
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Scope – Method
We assume that Gridiron-Nodal type of spatial configuration of the
bazaars boosts social gatherings
Linear-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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Scope – Method
Guilds
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Scope – Method
Guilds – Trading Activities in Tabriz and Istanbul Covered Bazaars
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Spatial Configuration
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
- 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
The allocation of bazaar functions in The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
- 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
The allocation of bazaar functions in The Tabriz Bazaar
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
rasta
rasta
arasta
sara
arasta
bedesten
sara
bedesten
arasta
sara
arasta
sara
sara
Simplified schemas of spatial configuration in
Tabriz and Istanbul covered bazaars
rasta
rasta
Analysis – Method
Syntactic Aspect of the research
- 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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis – Method
Syntactic Aspect of the research
- 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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Syntactic Comparisons
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Integration 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
Analysis
Circularity 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
Analysis
Sectors of Tradesmen
Gold / Jewellery sellers,
Goldsmiths
Silver sellers
Copper makers and copper
sellers
Metal works, iron works
Clothing, accessories
Carpet sellers
Leather works, shoe, bag,
purse sellers, mink sellers
Fabric, Textile works, silk
sellers
Wooden works and
carpenters, furniture
Glass works, Glass and
Mirror sellers
Possible average Impact
Ratio (MRI n) for Tabriz
Location in Tabriz CB
and CI (circularity)
values with degrees
Degree: 2nd
Deep in the CB. Depth
MRI n=0.064x106
value is high.
CI=55
Degree: 2nd
Located around the
MRI n=0.032x106
courtyards
CI=136
Degree: 2nd - 3rd
MRI n=0.138x106
Located in the edge
CI=152
Degree: 2nd - 3rd
Inserted in copper
MRI n=0.092x106
makers
CI=250
Degree: 1st – 5th
MRI n=0.088x106
Located in the edge
CI=97
Degree: 1st
Low integration, located
MRI n=0.008 x106
around the courtyards /
nodes
CI=174
Degree: 1st - 2nd
Low integration, located
MRI n=0.040 x106
on the streets
CI=142
Located around the
Degree: 1st - 3rd
courtyard, located on
6
MRI n=0.051 x10
the second type of
CI=193
arteries
Degree: 1st - 2nd
Located on the edge and
MRI n=0.035 x106
the type is mainly street
CI=45
Degree: 2nd
MRI n=0.053x106
Located in the edge
CI=156
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Possible average Impact
Ratio (MRI n) for Istanbul
Location in Istanbul CB
and CI (circularity) values
with degrees
Degree: 4th - 5th
Located on the main
MRI n=1.24x106
arteries and some inner
streets
CI=1020 (2nd-5th)
Degree: 2nd - 4th
MRI n=0.75x106
CI=433 (1st-2nd)
Degree: 2nd
MRI n=0.4x106
CI=349 (1st-2nd)
Degree: 1st
MRI n=0.07x106
CI=380 (1st-2nd)
Degree: 3rd - 4th
MRI n=1.02x106
CI=360 (1st-2nd)
Degree: 3rd - 4th
MRI n=1.16x106
CI=1100 (2nd-4th)
Degree: 2nd - 4th
MRI n=0.88x106
CI=766 (1st-3rd)
Degree: 3rd - 4th
MRI n=1.19x106
CI=933 (1st-3rd)
Degree: 2nd
MRI n=0.37x106
CI=516 (1st-2nd)
Degree: 3rd
MRI n=0.89x106
CI=266 (1st-2nd)
Located around the
bedesten and streets
Low integration located
in the edge
Located in the edge,
deep spaces or around
the bedesten
More integrated, on the
streets, close the main
arteries
Located on the centre,
on the streets, more
integrated
Located around the
bedesten or streets
Located on the main
arteries and sometimes
gridiron nodes
Located around the
courtyard
On the specific called,
moderately integrated
streets
Analysis
The highest rankings for integration of Istanbul CB :
1-Gold 2-Textile 3-Carpet
The highest rankings for circulation of Istanbul CB :
1-Carpet 2-Gold 3-Textile
displaying 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-Carpet
As 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
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)
Trading Sectors
GOLD
SILVER
COPPER
METAL
CLOTHES
CARPET
LEATHER
TEXTILE
WOOD
GLASS
Ranking of
TABRIZ
INTEGRATION
Ranking of
TABRIZ
CIRCULARITY
Ranking of
ISTANBUL
INTEGRATION
Ranking of
ISTANBUL
CIRCULARITY
4
9
1
2
3
10
7
6
8
5
9
6
5
1
8
3
7
2
10
4
1
7
8
10
4
3
6
2
9
5
2
6
9
7
8
1
4
3
5
10
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Discussion
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 valued
Tabriz CB also have sarās with less integrated location in the system
having higher circularity values as a result of the independent
spatial configuration
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Analysis
Discussion
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Conclusion
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 formations
The 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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Conclusion
The movement is more distributed in areas that provide
opportunities to discover new visual information as we have seen
in Istanbul CB
Istanbul’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.
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Conclusion
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
E. EDGÜ, A. ÜNLÜ, M. E. ŞALGAMCIOĞLU, A.MANSOURI
Space Syntax Symposium 8 / 3-6 January 2012 / Santiago, Chile
Conclusion
Tabriz Case
Istanbul Case
1- Segment Based Schema (sara)
1-Grideron Based Schema
Occurred Around
Arasta/Bedesten.
2- Limited Circularity
2- High Value in Circularity
3- Low Integration Level for
Segments (for sarās in General
system)
3- High Integration Level in
General
4- Limited Visuality in Sarās
4- High Level of Visuality
5- Trading Limited in Segments
5- Trading is Expandable
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