A Case Study On The Urban Skylines Of Istanbul: Dimensions Of Visual Complexity With Fractal Analysis

Abstract

Urban skylines have a dynamic structure, as they reflect changing conditions in time and space. This dynamic structure also has the potential to be an urban information tool to evaluate the visual qualities and complexity of cities. This article presents a new methodological perspective on urban skyline studies through fractal analysis in Istanbul. In the last 30 years, several computational techniques have been developed to measure the morphological characteristics of cities. Fractal analysis, the most well-known and widespread of these, is used in this study to analyze the complex structure of urban skylines obtained through visual data. The study aims to first expose the existing urban skyline of Istanbul and then, using fractal geometry, assess the influence of the factors influencing this skyline on its appearance. The fractal dimension measured by box counting used for this purpose is a metric to explain urban skylines. In this study, in which Beyazıt Fire Tower is accepted as the reference point, the fractal dimensions of the skyline obtained from urban panoramas are calculated using ImageJ Program and FracLac plugin. As a result of the fractal analysis of the skyline, fractal dimensions in the range of 1,0731-1,2171 were obtained. The skylines and their trends are presented through the rose diagram and the fractal analysis shows that two main elements complicate the appearance of the city the most: mosque and skyscrapers.