Contradictory Policies, Multiple Actors, Diverse Interests Transformation of Saraçoğlu District in Ankara as a Modern Historic Urban Landscape

The first half of the 20th century saw the rise of modernist architecture and urban planning aimed at creating new societies. The garden-city model became a popular response, implemented worldwide with local adaptations. While famous European examples gained heritage status, lesser-known garden-city models in South and West Asian contexts faced unique challenges due to historical conflicts. Preserving and perceiving modern heritage is complex due to temporal proximity, ideological issues, economic considerations, and technical restoration difficulties. In Turkey, where real-life situations often diverge from existing policies, the protection of modern heritage faces additional challenges. This complexity is exemplified in Ankara's Saraçoğlu District, a modernist historic urban landscape designed as the first mass housing development in Turkey and constructed in the 1940s. Despite the district's urban, architectural, and natural significance, urban transformation is currently taking place, made possible by a "disaster law" that runs counter to national heritage conservation policies. This profit-oriented project has drawn criticism for privatisation, displacement of residents, and commercial reuse of heritage buildings. This paper examines the dynamics involved in transformation processes, highlighting the policy-practice gap and the influence of urban realpolitik on heritage management.