Culture is the way people live, how they think, and what they do. A window into a city’s identity, and a brief taste of what it is like, can be found by looking at the homes of its people.
Snapshot of apartment buildings in Rome
Snapshot of old and new apartment buildings in Istanbul
The first photo was taken from the Rome Center. Visible are some damaged and slightly crumbling buildings; on the lower left there are aging clay roof tiles waiting to be replaced. The many picturesque rooftop-gardens exude vibrant life next to the stucco, colorful buildings. They are all placed compactly next to each other, creating narrow streets and cobble-stoned walkways. They have the charm and style that fit in nicely with historical palazzos dispersed throughout the city.
As I acquainted myself with Rome I realized that these apartment buildings had indeed looked like this for a long time; the long tradition of Italy and their buildings have been set and well defined. If a building needed repair, it was patched up in the same style and fashion it was before. The one piece of modern architecture in Rome, the museum that houses the Ara Pacis, became a controversial topic among Romans, because they simply did not like it. It was not what a Roman building should look like.
This refrain from adopting more modern concepts is exemplified by some of the keys Italians use to their apartments. Many buildings, such as the one located on Via Dandolo, still use beautiful, antique-looking, weighty, four-inch long keys. Although practicality may warrant changing to something smaller, more transportable, there is no rush. And that is their culture. They live their lives at a slower pace, stick to their traditions, and identify with their history. There are no desires to change their homes, or to expand from small family-run shops to bustling businesses.
The second photo was taken on taxi ride along a four-lane freeway in Istanbul. At first these buildings may look similar to the ones in Rome, as they have slightly damaged and aging walls. In the center though, are three modern buildings perfectly spaced, and aligned with the slope of the hill. The Turkish lead many development projects, but unlike Romans who restore aging buildings, they demolish old buildings, and raise new condos. And these new homes, in contrast with the Roman’s homes, have no potted plants. The fast paced lifestyles of the Turkish may not allocate time to take care of and nurture plants like Italians. During my short visit I saw Istanbul as city wanting to move swiftly to catch up with the technologically advanced West, and to be identified as modern.
Istanbul’s wide, four-lane highways quickly get people from Point A to Point B. The economy thrives on big businesses like Turkcell, and the people want new architecture like the elite Kanyon shopping mall inside new, 30-floor buildings. Roman’s however, will walk to their destination, perhaps stop at a café for a morning cappuccino, and will pick up some fresh produce from the market as they head to open shop.
Although both of these cities have had a long history interconnected with the modernized West, they have each made their own decisive decisions in the direction they wish to develop: one is content with their historical tradition, culture, and way of life, the other is desiring changes for modernity, technology, and advancement like the West.
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