An Offbeat Spatiality of the New Generation Small Housing Units in Istanbul

Abstract

This paper aims at investigating new residential trends in Istanbul accompanying the demographic change that introduces an increasing diversity of small/alternative (non-traditional/non-family) households to the housing market. Moreover, it triggers a theoretical debate on the concept of 'offbeat spatiality'. The paper has a twofold structure. First, the demographic change and its impacts in Istanbul and the concept of the spatiality of small housing units in relation to small /alternative household types are examined. Subsequently, the marketing strategies of three major entrepreneurs (Real Estate Investors, i.e. Nef, Dumankaya and Varyap) developed to attract small households are interpreted. Then, a limited number of offbeat schemes detected among the mostly standardized small housing production of these entrepreneurs and considered to be more appropriate for peculiar features of small/alternative households have been analyzed. The aim is to unfold the spatial potentials of such offbeat schemes for further housing demands of non-traditional households.

Keywords

• offbeat spatialities
• small housing schemes
• small/alternative households
• marketing strategies