Mahalle State of Mind

The smallest administrative division of Istanbul is the Mahalle. A Mahalle mostly consists of the only few minor roads of a single neighborhood. Despite the ongoing socioeconomic pressure and influences of a fast moving megalopolis, these neighborhoods continue to exist in some places in the heart of Istanbul. In between the established hip district of Cihangir in its northeast, the touristy Galata area and Istiklal Street in its northwest, as well as the trendy waterfront district of Karaköy to its south, Central Tophane and several other small surrounding neighborhoods remain places with the intimate atmosphere of a rural village. For now, an apparent deceleration and a slow movement compared to its proximate environment preserved the streetscape, daily life routines and the residents’ Mahalle State of Mind.