Simulacrum of the City: Evaluation of the Besiktas Tobacco Warehouse Renovation in Istanbul with the use of Sensewalking

The multisensory qualities of urban experiences are essential to the city's urban form, sensory-spatial dimensions, and cultural heritage. Vision occupies a privileged position in the distinctive characteristics of urban areas; however, a visual-centric examination must be transcended when considering renovation and conservation efforts in urban locales. The building in Besiktas, Istanbul, designed by architect Victor Adaman in 1929 and which served as a tobacco warehouse for several years, was demolished in 2007. In 2013, the building re-emerged in the urban morphology of Istanbul with its renovated appearance and function as a luxury hotel. This study aimed to examine the sensory-spatial effects of the warehouse’s renovation on Istanbul’s urban form characteristics. We developed a mobile, public participatory, and in situ urban method called sensewalking to explore how the renovation influenced the spatial characteristics of the urban form. The discussion revealed how everyday multisensory encounters within the urban form were transformed during the latest stages of renovation. The novel method facilitated an investigation into the sensory role of renovations on the multisensory dimensions of urban forms. This study is the first to explore the auditory, olfactory, and haptic experiences in the Besiktas district of Istanbul. The insights will benefit architecture, cultural heritage, and urban studies in Istanbul and beyond.