Palimpsest of Pyrgos

Belgrad Forest was once a settlement and agriculture area for Greek settlers before the 1923 Population Exchange occured, but today, the forest has been reclaimed by the government. In an effort to “return” the forest to the families displaced by the Lausanne treaty, timber from these forests will be utilized in construction of a series of urban networks that provokes comfort through the journey of grief and discomfort.

 

Pyrgos (Πύργος), or commonly known today as Kemerburgaz, have a deep-rooted Greek history hidden within the crooks of its neighborhood. What once was a Greek settlement area during the Ottoman period is now only a remnant of the past. This classic tale of ethnic cleansing leaves an uncertain future for the Greek demographic in Turkey. Not only were they expelled from their homes, but, traces of culture and history have also turned into debris. The aim of this project is to revitalize the Kemerburgaz neighborhood to recover the lost heritage of Greek settlers in Istanbul through bridging the past and present, celebrating history while embedding present innovations and rebuilding our relationship with nature.