Istanbul is a city of opposites. Modernity and tradition, secularism and conservatism. Women in miniskirts and women in headscarves walking together, side by side. The dilapidated facades of historic structures standing next to newly built and opulent buildings. Ordinary citizens discovering Byzantine relics whilst renovating their homes. Instagram influencers taking selfies in newly opened cafes with a Japandi aesthetic. Istanbul is everything at once, reinventing itself constantly.
In its most recent form, the city has seen a surge of a contemporary culture deeply affected by both the past and the vast lands that compose modern Turkey. A brand-new culture has been shaped through the translation of international standards into Turkish. The result is myriad: Turkish-wine-only bars serving vintages produced through the revival of indigenous grapes. In newly-minted Michelin-starred restaurants, tasting menus unfold like a palimpsest—each course revealing Anatolian ingredients and ancestral recipes. Modern design is inspired by Ottoman and Anatolian aesthetic and craftsmanship, brought to the present with a twist. Modern architecture merges with the restoration of historic structures, reimagined as spaces of luxury; a harmonious confluence of past and present.
From the historic Pera neighborhood—with its European neoclassical architecture—down to the Karaköy port, across the Golden Horn to Zeyrek, across the Bosphorus to Kuzguncuk and beyond, we encounter the people and places defining contemporary Istanbul culture…
MAISON Ë, Issue No.02, Summer 2025
Feride Yalav-Heckeroth 
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