Alp Serif Besen

Research:
SPACES of SEX WORK in ISTANBUL
Location:
Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Institution:
AURA Istanbul
Year:
2019-20
Advisors:
Boğaçhan Dündaralp, Hakan Tüzün Şengün
Challenge:
Conduct a research exploring the relationship between between urban-social conditions and architectural tectonics & techne
Important Note:
*!* Due to safety considerations, the full content of the research is not publicly disclosed. The complete study can be shared upon request.

This research investigates spaces of sex work as heterotopias, examining their relationship to architectural tectonics. It explores how architecture both shapes and is shaped by sex work across multiple scales – from urbanism to interior layouts. While the study begins with a global and historical overview of sex work, its focus gradually narrows to Bayram Street in Istanbul, a sex work district mostly run by transgender sex workers. Bayram Street presents a unique case: it was not purpose-built for sex work, but rather appropriated for it due to its advantageous spatial conditions. Moreover, as the area is predominantly inhabited by trans women, the spatial organization is deeply informed by safety concerns arising from transphobia, adding further complexity to its architectural and social fabric.

The research reveals that architecture and urbanism are closely intertwined with the practice of sex work on Bayram St. At the urban scale, the surrounding neighborhood is embedded with thresholds that either permit or restrict access, shaped by factors such as lines of sight, the complexity of connecting roads, and lighting. The street itself features a series of corners and turns, each accommodating different forms of sex work. On an architectural scale, the presence of “cumbas” (projecting balconies) enables multi-angled visibility and functions almost as display for sex workers. These allow sex workers to both observe and be seen from various vantage points, establishing visual contact across the street. The cumba structures also act as pseudo-stations, creating a rhythm guiding the positioning and movement of the customers.

The research continues at a finer scale, examining tectonics through the smallest details – such as façade extrusions, street layout, the interiors of residences, stairways, façade paint layers, sunlight reach, furnitures, pavement height, overarching masses, historic structures, and even auditory communication. 

The research was later published by AURA Istanbul and has since been cited by various scholars in sociology and urban studies, both in print and online. Although the full content is not publicly available, it has laid the groundwork for further academic inquiry among researchers in the field.

Section + Plan
Relation between the Street and Façade Extrusions

Plan
Street Layout & Positioning

Model View
Territories & Tresholds