Visual Analysis of Picturesque Urban Landscape Case of Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Abstract

The integration of photography into architecture was a pivotal point in the journey of architectural representation,
photography proved itself useful for the betterment of architecture early on, as well as establish itself as a necessary
tool in the realm of architecture, from the early interactions of Le Corbusier and photography to the emergence of
early architectural photographers such as Ackerman J.S., Shulman J, this thesis explores the evolution of architectural
photography and draws parallels between architecture, photography and urban design specifically addressing
perception. The main study this paper was extracted from looked into the inquiry of knowing "What are the key
picturesque locations/structures in Sultanahmet, Fatih – Istanbul, and how can their spatial distribution, and cultural
significance be characterized and mapped for urban design and development?" as well as the secondary objective, of
which this paper focuses on, is to “Investigate the role of perception in urban environments and how photography
serves as a tool for capturing and conveying the perception of Sultanahmet's picturesque structures/locations”. The
study achieved these objectives by utilizing methodologies such as geo-tagged photography, sequential photography,
social media metadata extraction, GIS mapping, spatial analysis, and visual analysis focusing on the historically rich
and culturally significant study area.