Architecture and the city are not merely spaces perceived through geometric elements; they are places subjectively experienced through sensory perception, formed by historical references, societal and personal experiences, and individual memory. In this framework, the understanding of the city develops and changes in interaction with society; similarly, our way of perceiving cities can emerge as a social imagination. Henri Lefebvre defines this approach in his theory of space as a lived space associated with dreams, symbols, and memory. This study examines the lived space borrowed from Lefebvre, focusing on the Nişantaşı neighbourhood of Istanbul. Cinema communicates with society through its powerful representational language, making it a tool for understanding social processes. Following the 2000s, with the proliferation / acceleration of private television channels in Türkiye, the influence of television series on society increased. This paper analyzes the representation of Nişantaşı in TV series to trace its societal understanding within the framework of the close relationship between the content of these series and the social context. The study focuses on TV series after 2000 that use Nisantasi as a spatial or discursive stage, generating representations of social class differences, applying semiotic analysis. This study considers space as a stage reflecting social and cultural conflicts. This paper analyzes the spatial perception of the Nişantaşı neighbourhood, formed by societal connotations, in relation to social differentiation in Türkiye, through the lens of television series.
Mimarlık ve kent, yalnızca geometrik öğeleri vasıtasıyla algıladığımız yaşam alanları değil; tarihi referanslar sayesinde toplumsal, kişisel tecrübeler ile bireysel hafıza ile kurulan, duyularımız sayesinde öznel biçimde algılanan mekânlardır. Bu çerçevede kentin kavranışı, toplumla karşılıklı etkileşim halinde gelişip değişir; aynı şekilde, kentleri algılama biçimimiz de toplumsal bir tahayyül olarak ortaya çıkabilir. Bu yaklaşımı, Henri Lefebvre mekân kuramında; hayaller, simgeler, hafızayla ilişkilenen yaşanan mekân olarak tanımlar. Bu çalışma, Lefebvre’den ödünç alınan ‘yaşanan mekân’ kavramını, İstanbul’un Nişantaşı semtine odaklanarak ele almaktadır. Sinema kurduğu güçlü temsil diliyle toplumla iletişim kurar; böylece toplumsal süreçleri anlamak için araştırmada bir araç olarak kullanılabilir. 2000lerde Türkiye’de özel televizyon kanallarının yaygınlaşması sonrası, televizyon dizilerinin toplum üzerindeki etkisi artmıştır. Dizilerin içerikleri toplumsal bağlamla sıkı ilişki içindedir. Tam da bu çerçevede, TV dizilerinde Nişantaşı temsili ele alınarak, toplumsal yansımanın izi sürülmüştür. Mekânsal ya da söylem düzeyinde Nişantaşı’nı ‘sahne’ olarak kullanan ve toplumsal sınıf farkları temsili üreten 2000 sonrası dizilere odaklanılmış, bu dizilerde göstergebilim analiz yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Mekân, toplumsal ve kültürel çatışmaların yansıdığı bir sahne olarak ele alınmıştır. Bu çalışma, Nişantaşı semtinin toplumsal çağrışımlar ile ortaya çıkan mekân algısının Türkiye’deki toplumsal farklılaşmalar ile çapraz okumasını televizyon dizileri aracılığıyla yapmaktadır.
This study explores the perception of urban spaces and their social connotations, with a focus on Nisantasi, a neighbourhood in Istanbul. The paper draws from Henri Lefebvre’s theory of space, specifically his concept of lived space, which considers space not just as a physical or geometric entity, but as a place experienced through individual memory, societal references, and sensory engagement. According to Lefebvre, space is deeply intertwined with personal and collective experiences, and it evolves in interaction with society. In this context, the study aims to analyse how Nişantaşı is represented in Turkish TV series and how these representations reflect social class differences and cultural conflicts in contemporary Turkish society.
Historical, social, and cultural influences shape architecture and urban spaces, affecting how we perceive them. The city, as a dynamic entity, reveals itself through its inhabitants’ lived experiences and how these experiences are communicated and interpreted. As a result, people perceive cities through a collective imagination, continuously redefining them through social processes. This perspective on space, known as lived space, suggests that urban environments are not static but are in constant flux, influenced by the personal, social, and cultural layers they accumulate over time.
Television, with its broad reach and influential language of representation, plays a critical role in shaping public perceptions of urban spaces. Since the 2000s, following the expansion of private TV channels in Türkiye, television series have become a powerful medium for reflecting on societal issues and processes. The portrayal of urban spaces in these series is not merely about physical spaces; it also serves to reinforce or challenge social norms, values, and class distinctions. By analysing the representation of Nisantasi in TV series, this study aims to uncover how the neighbourhood is used as a space to reflect and produce meanings related to social class and cultural dynamics.
The study focuses specifically on the TV series produced after 2000, where Nişantaşı is depicted as a place associated with wealth, sophistication, and modernity. These representations, often grounded in social class differences, show the place as both a space of aspiration and exclusion, where the elite of society reside. The study applies semiotic analysis to these representations, exploring how the visual and narrative elements in the series work to construct meaning around Nisantasi and its inhabitants. Through this analysis, the paper traces how the neighbourhood is used as a canvas for reflecting societal divisions, cultural aspirations, and the conflicts that arise from them.
Nisantasi, with its historical and cultural layers, becomes a site where various social and cultural conflicts are reflected. The study argues that media representations of urban spaces are not neutral but are deeply embedded in the socio-political context of the time. By examining the portrayal of Nisantasi in specific TV series, Avrupa Yakasi, Istanbullu Gelin, Ufak Tefek Cinayetler, and Kızılcık Serbeti, the paper sheds light on the broader dynamics of social differentiation in Türkiye, particularly in relation to issues such as class, identity, and cultural tensions.
This study ultimately aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how urban spaces are represented in the media and how these representations influence societal perceptions. It highlights the importance of studying urban spaces not just as physical environments but as symbolic constructs that embody the social, cultural, and political realities of the time. By focusing on Nisantasi, the study offers insights into how media, particularly television series, shape our understanding of the city and the social dynamics within it.