Fields into houses: local actors, society, and the making of a new urban landscape in Tarlabaşı and Tatavla in late Ottoman Istanbul

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as Istanbul’s modernization led to its expansion northward from Galata, uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas evolved into a dense urban sprawl. This urbanization process has been studied primarily through the lenses of architectural history and urban studies while broader historical examinations have often concentrated on state planning and administrative reorganization. This article, however, explores the role of local agency in driving these changes, highlighting the active participation of diverse social actors in shaping the new urban landscape. It argues that wide sections of society did not merely react to change, but they created, perceived and acted upon new urban opportunities. Specifically, the article weaves together the role of property owners and entrepreneurs, professional and occupational sectors, lower-income groups and local communities in constructing, renting and utilizing urban spaces. Focusing on the Tatavla and Tarlabaşı neighborhoods, which were key areas in the immediate growth zone of the city, the article draws on state and community records, contemporary histories, memoirs and maps.