All around us lies an unfamiliar landscape that shares the same spatial dimensions as the one we know intimately. The unknown is not far—it is interwoven with the familiar. To see it, we must only break free from our habits. Get on a train, take a bus, or simply start walking—without knowing where you’ll end up.

This research is grounded in a critical walking practice through Northern Istanbul, aiming to open up the periphery for discussion—not from a distant, aerial perspective, but from within. It examines the transformation and ongoing processes of recently constructed or planned mega-projects in the region, observing the dynamic relationships between the natural and the human-made environments. The methodology of walking served as the primary tool to explore these evolving landscapes, combining personal experience with spatial data to map the relationships that emerge.

Northern Istanbul was selected not only for its ambiguity—both geographically and academically—but also for its vulnerability. It is a lesser-known part of the city, and one at risk of vanishing should the New Istanbul projects come to fruition. The case study focuses on the areas of Tayakadin, Yeniköy, Terkos, and Karaburun. The aim was not only to study this geography, but to understand and experience it. The groundwork for the walk was laid by examining the spatial development of the northern regions, after which a focus area was selected.

The research emphasizes how large-scale projects reshape geography and locality, reflecting on the transformation of Northern Istanbul through a lens grounded in lived experience rather than top-down planning.

The section titled “Walking” explores the concept and methodology of critical walking as a means to engage with, understand, and question the city. Walking is approached not merely as a mode of transport, but as a way of thinking, sensing, and critiquing—offering a slow, grounded counterpoint to accelerated urban change.

In the “Mapping” section, the interplay between walking and mapping is examined. This part reflects on the tension between large-scale planning perspectives and the human-scale, experiential reality of place. It discusses how the imagined presence of mega-projects—often talked about as if they already exist—shapes not only physical space but also the daily actions and perceptions of local communities. The maps created in this research, under the theme of “Contrasts and Collisions,” propose a new kind of mapping: experiential and critical. They are described as hiking maps or hiking atlases—tools for navigating both the physical terrain and its contested narratives.