INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE IN THE URBAN IDENTITY AND MEMORY AXIS

Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

values are important in the context of their developmental structures, the events they
witnessed and caused in terms of urban history, the memorial value that they create in
the common memory of the urban dwellers, the social memory, and the urban identity
(Sadioğlu and Yürük, 2020).

Another dimension of the holistic approach to industrial heritage value is the
construction of the environment of the industrial heritage area with various recreational
consumption spaces. Sadioğlu and Yürük (2020: 1061) criticizes the establishment of
shopping malls near the industrial heritage value in the Eskişehir example as an indication
that the industrial heritage is sometimes used for the preservation of cultural heritage but
sometimes for the reconstruction of capitalism.

It is seen that certain functions come to the fore in the refunctioning of industrial
heritage areas.Although mixed-function approaches are generally used in the implemented
projects, there are arrangements as public parks, museums, education, culture, and art
areas. Since protecting is to carry the message and image of the protected to the future, the
method of protection should be considered in the context of the message of that protected
(Cengizkan 2006). Cengizkan (2006) interprets the transformation of industrial structures
as a paradox because that their transformation relates to their representational qualities-
symbolic existence, while they are generally designed to serve only for functional
purposes. Cengizkan (2006: 10) defines transforming industrial structures that have lost
their function to accommodate human activities instead of mechanical processes as a
kind of “displacement”. Since production areas are designed to contain the production
process and machines that will carry out production, rather than according to human
beings (Cengizkan, 2006: 10).

In this context, re-functioning in the form of a museum of the old industrial
function is not considered appropriate for every building. In this respect, it is accepted
that refunctioning buildings as museums that have not lost their equipment, have not been
much damaged and that will provide sufficient technical information will yield successful
results (Köksal, 2012). In this context, Köksal (2012) emphasizes the importance of
the distinction between industrial museums and technical museums. In the technical
museum, while only the relevant products, production techniques, and information about
the factory are given, in the industrial museum, social and cultural information should be
given as well as information about the social, economic, and technical development of the
period, the daily lives of the workers, the use of the products in daily life, etc. (Föhl, 1995;
cited by Köksal 2012). In this respect, the industrial museum concept in itself requires a
holistic approach in the re-functioning of the industrial heritage.

In addition, the industrial museum in re-functioning is seen as a useful approach
in the context of in-situ presentation. Displaying machinery and similar equipment in
industrial buildings without isolating them from their original usage areas is important
in terms of both protecting the industrial heritage value and understanding the industrial
process (Köksal, 2012). In this regard, it is not the right approach to bring the tools,
machines, materials, etc., from different places and display them in isolation as if they

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were any find (Köksal, 2012). Yet it is important to convey the unique environment of the
industrial structure such as sound, odor, and related information with in-situ conservation
(Köksal, 2012).

In this context, it is seen as a useful approach to transform industrial heritage areas
into museums or creative activity spaces that prioritize their unique function. Protecting
buildings as a museum if they cannot produce content or have the tools, defines as a
problem (Alkan, 2006). At this point, the concept of “industrial museum” (Köksal, 2012)
gains importance. Herein it is considered beneficial to transform the industry function
into a creative activity space in the context of containing practices that will keep the
content of the industrial function alive.

The large and different architectural atmosphere of industrial heritage can be a
venue for creative activities (Alkan, 2006; Köksal, 2012). Thus, the heritage value is
preserved without departing from its original function and the originality of the industrial
heritage is utilized (Köksal, 2012).

As in the examples of Istanbul Modern, Silahtarağa Power Plant, Ankara Museum
of Modern Arts and Fine Arts Gallery (TCDD railway repair shop), etc.,it is an international
trend that art mediates in the transformation of industrial buildings (Alkan, 2006). Over time,
using of these structures by the artists, which are defined as “industrial gallery spaces” as a
source of art inspiration has become commonplace (Alkan, 2006). However, Köksal (2012)
states that in re-functionalization, public cultural uses are preferred instead of individual uses.

In various countries, industrial heritage areas have been re-functionalized as concert
halls that give listeners a different musical experience among machines, gas tanks converted
into diving schools, and the use of high chimneys as climbing towers (Köksal, 2012). For
example, the grain silos and associated industrial building groups in the old port area of
Montréal were transformed into a gigantic instrument by architect Thomas McIntosh and
composer Emmanual Madan (Alkan, 2006). In this context, it is essential to prioritize the
original function in transforming industrial heritage areas into creative activity spaces.

In the case of Zingal Forest Management, Kaya and Yılmaz (2017) suggest the
adaption of industrial heritage to tourism activities by attributing the uses that do not
depart from the essence of the original function. They have suggested to connect with
the past and make the region more attractive by organizing festivals under the name of
“Forestry Games” with activities such as visuals that tell the past, vehicles or equipment
used in the past, different activities that will keep the past alive, competitions specific to
the destination, traditional entertainments intertwined with forestry, etc.

In this context, it is an approach that gains importance, that tourism and industrial
heritage contribute to each other. As a matter of fact, in 1999, by itself, an institution (ERIH)
has been formed to create touristic interest through “industrial heritage route”, “stop points”,
etc. Within this scope, determining the industrial heritage routes is accepted as a useful
approach to keeping the industrial heritage alive (Köksal 2012; Karadağ and İncedere, 2020).

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

Olive Oil Production Areas in Ayvalık as the Context of
Urban Identity and Touristic Attraction

Ayvalık is a district of Balikesir (Figure 1), has developed as a port and tourism
city on the western coast of Turkey. Developments in trade and industry in Ayvalık have
increased since the early 1800s, and Ayvalık has become one of the most important industrial
and commercial centers on the Western Anatolian coast (Akın, 2015). The production
activities such as wine, salt, leather, olive oil, and soap production constituted the backbone
of Ayvalık’s economy (Akın, 2015). Olive oil and soap production, which was carried out
in traditional workshops before the 19th century, became one of the most important products
with the establishment of many olive oil and soap factories in the last quarter of the 19th
century (Akın, 2015). The significant share of olive oil in the developments in trade and
industry is related to the suitable physical conditions for olive production, proximity to
Lesbos, and the investments of the Greeks in the olive sector (Akın, 2015; Efe, Soykan,
Cürebal and Sönmez, 2013).

Figure 1. Location map of study area

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As an Industrial Heritage Value, Olive Oil... Güldane MİRİOĞLU

Olive groves have a very large area around Ayvalık (Figure 2). Having a geographic
indication registration certificate,Ayvalık Olive Oil2 is based on the formation of a characteristic
production in the context of the geographical features of the region. The originality of
Ayvalık Olive Oil in golden yellow color is explained with soil structure features, air currents
developing with Madra and Kaz Mountains, and other climatic features (Turkish Patent
Institute Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, 88). Ayvalık Olive Oil is distinctive
in terms of maturation phase, the density of consistency, tasting of fatty acid by the emotional
perception, etc. (Turkish Patent Institute Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, 88).
In this respect, industrial production itself has a characteristic value.

Figure 2. Land elevation values and olive groves in and around Ayvalık
Source: Efe, R., Soykan, A., Cürebal, İ. and Sönmez, S. (2013). Edremit Yöresi Yağhaneleri. İstanbul:
Mataş Matbaacılık.

The Madra Mountain protects the olives of the region from the prevailing north
winds, encountering humid winds blowing from the North Aegean Sea with the mountain
climate prevent them from being damaged by drought even in the driest years and increase
the quality of olive oil (Turkish Patent Institute Geographical Indication Registration
Certificate 88, Figure 3). The lands of the region are suitable for olive cultivation by the
sandy-loamy-lime Mediterranean soil character and the pH level (Turkish Patent Institute
Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, 88). The components in olive oil, fatty
acid composition, having low peroxide and not increasing peroxide number in a long time,

2  The Geographical Registration Certificate has been valid since 18.03.2004 and published in newspapers dated March 19th,
2005 and June 10th, 2006, numbered 25670 and 26194 (Turkish Patent Institute Geographical Indication Registration
Certificate, 88).

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

Figure 3. Topographic conditions around Ayvalık
Source: Edited on ArcMap 10.2 World Topographic Map

etc. are quality enhancing components to give characteristic value (Turkish Patent Institute
Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, 88). In this context, it also points to the
importance of a holistic approach in addressing the industrial heritage.

Olive groves surrounding the city, olive oil factories and sales stores, a woman
sculpture that holding an olive branch at one of the city crossroads, olive leaves in official
institution logos (Ayvalık Municipality, Ayvalık Chamber of Commerce), olive oil cubes in
various landscaping arrangements, olive bins that used to show “do not park” warnings by
citizens, flowers planted in olive cans, olive trees at a young age or old tree trunks which
are in front of the residences or management buildings, the prevalence of olive and olive oil
products in the city, etc. are some spatial indicators of the relationship between olive/olive
oil and urban identity (Photo 1).

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As an Industrial Heritage Value, Olive Oil... Güldane MİRİOĞLU

Photo 1. Daily spatial constructions associated with olive and olive oil in the urban landscape. Flowers that
planted in olive oil cans b. oil bins that say “do not park”
Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021

Just like the symbols associated with olive and olive oil, the most prominent

representation of olive oil factories in urban identity is the extent of chimneys of factories

in the urban landscape (Photo 2).

Representations of olive oil factories in

the urban space are also distinguished

by place names such as “Factories

Range Street” or in business names and

figures, etc. A café in next to an old oil

production area symbolizes an olive

oil factory and chimney by its name,

its emblem, and its color. This cafe

is a salient spatial representation. Its

coal-black color indicates the polluting

sense of the chimneys of factories.

Photo 2. The view of the chimneys of factories in the urban

According to various sources, landscape (1940-1970)
Source: Faruk Ergelen and Müjdat Soylu archive cited by
in 1875 the number of olive oil Akın, B. (2015). Bir Kentin Kimliği: Ayvalık Zeytinyağı
enterprises that producing as an ve Sabun Fabrikaları. In. IV. Turkish Graduate Studies
atelier and as a factory style in Congress Proceedings I. 217-234. 14-17 May 2015.
Ayvalık was 110, considering only Kütahya.

the number of factories it was 7 in

the 1890s, in 1907 was 17, in 1909

was 19, and between 1910-1920 was more than 20 (Akın, 2015: 221). Olive oil

production in Ayvalık, together with the historicity and regional originality, also

represents the investments of the Greeks from Lesbos in the olive business sector.

Moreover, represents the construction techniques and materials after the Industrial

Revolution (Akın, 2015). In Ayvalık, where tools and factories in olive oil production

developed in the 1880s, it is mentioned that there were 19 steam oil factories in 1909

(Akın, 2015).

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

One of the important features of the Ayvalık district is that it is one of the
settlements where population exchange took place intensely after the foundation of
the Republic. Population exchange and its proximity to Lesbos have been effective
in the development of the olive industry in Ayvalık. In this respect, the economic
practice of olive oil production is older than physical existence in Ayvalık that it
is an activity maintained by those who come through the exchange (Efe, Soykan,
Cürebal and Sönmez, 2013). For example, the Komili family continued their olive
oil production in Ayvalık, which started in 1878 in Lesbos (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal
and Sönmez, 2013).

After the exchange, olive cultivation, olive oil production, and the soap
industry developed rapidly in Ayvalık. The olive oil economy in the region reached
the highest level in history in 1923-25 and became the leading industrial branch of
Ayvalık (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez, 2013). Accordingly, the fact that olive
oil production becoming the leading sector in Ayvalık and the increase in olive oil
factories are explained by population exchange (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez,
2013).

Ayvalık is a district where olive oil production is most developed in a wide
area known as Edremit region (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez, 2013). Historical
oil plants are mostly located in the city center. (Figure 4)3. In terms of their
distribution within the city center, they are located mostly in Sakarya, Hayrettinpaşa,
and İsmetpaşa neighborhoods. One of the most distinctive features in terms of
distribution is their location at the seaside and most of them are within walking
distance of each other. Their positioning along the coastal part of the city, which is a
port city, points to the effect of transportation on the location of the factories on the
one hand, and on the other to the influence and relationship of olive oil factories on
the development of the city.

Although olive oil production areas4 are widespread in the city, its situation
for urban memory should be examined as well. Within the scope of the research (on
March 2021), while wandering to photograph the olive oil factories in the city center
of Ayvalık and understand their distribution, I asked some residents of the city who
I came across, about olive oil factories.

In one of the factories5, I asked a person who has business next to the factory,
“Was this building an olive oil factory?”. I got the answer that “it is an old building
but I do not know what kind of factory it was”. For the same factory, I asked two
people who have business near to the factory, “ Do you know the factory whose

3 This map shows the proximity of historical olive oil production areas in the city center. In this study and on the map, the
historical olive oil factories in the city center of Ayvalık are taken into account. The coordinates of factories were collected
with GPS by the author. It is stated that there are 5 more olive oil factories in the city center (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal, and
Sönmez, 2013), apart from those shown on the map. In addition to those in the city center of Ayvalık, there are 4 olive oil
factories, in Altınova (3) and Küçükköy (1) towns (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez, 2013).

4 One of the main problems of this study is to emphasize the holistic approach to industrial heritage. Therefore, the expression
“olive oil production area” is used to refer to the olive oil factory and its surroundings.

5   By its chimney, it is understood that it is an olive oil factory but not in active production

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As an Industrial Heritage Value, Olive Oil... Güldane MİRİOĞLU

Figure 4. Distribution of selected historical olive oil production areas in the city center

chimney is visible is which one of the old olive oil factories?”. They looked at
each other and then said do not know. One of these people replied, “I don’t know
this, but we know that there is the Sabuncugil factory there, we know that all these
were theirs”. Similarly, in another business, which is adjacent to another well-known
olive oil factory, I asked the employees of the business “Is this an old olive oil
factory?”. All three inside are looked at each other and said they do not know. One
of them said, “next door, the parking lot, it was a factory”.

In another side street, I asked two people whether an old building was a
factory before. The younger one said “don’t know”, the elderly one said the name of
the olive oil factory and talked about the olives that were once squeezed with vices
and about the prevalences of olive oil factories in Ayvalık. By saying “I’m 74 years

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old, I worked in this factory” he
pointed to the historicity of olive oil
production in Ayvalık. The responses
of the young and the old suggest that
there is a risk that olive oil factories
(as an industrial heritage) will not be
in the minds of younger individuals6.

In this respect, while many
factories just stand in the city, they
seem to have been left to forgotten
as buildings where there is no sign
of being olive oil factory (other than
a chimney in those with a chimney).
It is possible to say, by the random
conversations about olive oil Photo 3. Factories Range Street
factories with the city dwellers, four Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021
olive oil factories have taken place in
the minds of the city dwellers, which are Sabuncugil, Kırlangıç, Ömer Sezai Madra,
and Komili factories. The common feature of three of these factories (Komili,
Sabuncugil, and Kırlangıç) is that, unlike other factories, they have signboard-like
spatial displays where the factory name is still displayed (Photo 4). One of these
factories is still today is used as a warehouse and sales place of olive, olive oil, soap,
etc.

In this context, one of the most important issues is that the old olive oil factories in
the city center (except for Komili, Sabuncugil, and Kırlangıç) are not shown with a certain
sign. In this respect, those who work near the idle state of these old factories or those which
have new functions, continue their daily lives without even knowing which olive oil factory

Photo 4. Images of olive oil factories that have spatial signs with name a. Komili, b. Kırlangıç, c. Sabuncugil
Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021

6  Of course, more detailed qualitative research is required to speak more clearly on this issue. Such a review is planned as the
next phase of this study.

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it was or whether it was an olive oil
factory7. In addition, a person coming
to the city from outside can’t see a sign
that will understand that these factories
were once olive oil factories, except for
their chimneys.

Photo 5. A view from inside an idle olive oil factory that One of the oldest olive oil
used as parking in the city center factories which is located in one of
Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021 the busiest points of the city and used
as a supermarket today has also been
re-functioned as a supermarket, but no
information or mark about its former
function has been found in today’s
use. The same case is also valid for
the hotel use8, which is another usage
related to the old olive oil production
areas in the city. In addition, the hotel
function, just like the supermarket, is
a functionalization that displaces the
olive oil production, in other words,
the original function of the industrial
heritage.

Although it is one of the

most common elements of urban

identity, another important problem

related to olive oil factories is that

their gardens are used as parking

lots. These factories, which are used

as car parks by the inside (Photo 5)

or the yards (Photo 6 and 7), carry

the risk of losing their importance,

identity, and even their assets.

Photo 6. A view of an idle olive oil factory in the city center

Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021 Kırlangıç olive oil production

area which one of the historical

olive oil production areas in the

city center is in the process of refunctionalization. Kırlangıç olive oil production

area, which is also an olive oil production area located in the seaside, is one of the

leading production areas in technological development with its historical value. Efe,

7  As stated above, more detailed qualitative research is required to be able to talk about this issue more clearly. This inference
is based on daily random conversations in the city.

8 The boutique hotel was in the process of renovation in March when the field studies were carried out, so it is not known whether
there were information and signs inside the hotel that show there was an olive oil factory (except the name of the hotel).

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez (2013) defined
Kırlangıç olive oil production area as the most
modern facility of its time in terms of various
equipment and production systems and stated
that it contributed to the increase of the quality
of Ayvalık olive oil.

The area along the coastline, including

the Kırlangıç olive oil production area, is in

the refunctionalizing process by Ayvalık

Municipality to be used as a cultural center

(Photo 8). In the project, it is planned to

define a traditional olive-olive oil shop and

local product sales center, and various mixed

functions such as a restaurant, bookstore,

boutique hotel, museum, conference hall,

cinema, etc. (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and

Photo 7. A view from the land of an idle olive oil Sönmez, 2013).
factory

Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021 In addition to the uses such as

supermarkets, hotels, parking, which displace

the original function of olive oil factories, numerous olive oil production areas in the

city center are idle. Like the uses that displace the original function, the idle olive oil

production areas also destroy the identity value of the industrial heritage.

Photo 8. A view from the Kırlangıç refunctionalization area
Source: G. Mirioğlu, 2021

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As an Industrial Heritage Value, Olive Oil... Güldane MİRİOĞLU

Discussion and Conclusions

Ayvalık olive oil production is one of the most prominent elements of the urban
identity in terms of its prevalence, deep-rooted history, and unique value. The importance
of olive and olive oil in urban identity is evident in various daily spatial constructions.
One of the most important spatial constructions in question is undoubtedly the olive oil
production areas, which have an industrial heritage value.

In terms of the distribution of olive oil factories in the city center, many olive oil
factories are adjacent and close to the coast, in the central neighborhoods of the city, and
within walking distance to each other. However, it can be said that9 are not given due care
to the industrial heritage areas when considering the new uses that displace their original
function or the idle ones. In addition, another important issue in this context is the need
for identifiers with various signs and explanations in the context of the environmental
integrity of olive oil factories, which can only come to attention by their chimneys today.

In this context, the production of olive oil in Ayvalık has value in itself in that being
currently in Ayvalık which is the major tourism center of Turkey. Moreover, the significance of
producing by traditional methods has value in itself. In today’s world, where the “healthy life”
motto is increasingly important, the awareness of the importance of olive oil also increasing.

The history of some of the buildings where production activities took place goes
back to the early 1900s (such as 1907, 1910, 1911) (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez,
2013). However, olive oil production in Ayvalık is an activity carried out by those who
came with the exchange (1923-24), its historical past is older than physical existence
and passed down from generation to generation (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez,
2013). They represent nearly a hundred years of experience and history in terms of both
building history and production processes. In addition, the local garlic stone used in
the construction of some buildings and the Greek architecture representations of some
buildings are also unique features that increase the value of the industrial heritage.

When we think of industrial heritage landscapes, the product itself, which is the
subject of industrial production, points to geographical originality. The development of
the olive industry in the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts and the tea industry on the
Black Sea coasts is based on geographical differences. In this respect, the product even
itself requires the examination of industrial heritage areas from a holistic perspective.

Having a geographical registration certificate in the context of the originality of
the geographical conditions also increases the value of olive oil production in Ayvalık.
This value also creates a tourist attraction. “Ayvalık olive oil” geographical indication at
a time when healthy nutrition is gaining importance, is an attraction in itself.

9   Although cannot be made detailed inference since it has not been finalized yet, Kırlangıç olive oil production area is not
included in this inference. Nevertheless, in addition to the uses that maintain the original function like an olive oil museum,
the risk of creating mixed uses that establish more relations with the coast, as in the SEKA example, should be taken into
account, and the original function should prioritize.

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Ayvalık currently is one of the most important tourism centers of Turkey in terms
of its location, coastal attractiveness, Greek architecture, and reputation, etc. Industrial
heritage based on olive oil production in Ayvalık should be seen as an opportunity to
increase the attractiveness of tourism. Tourism appeal also should be considered in the
context of the sustainable protection of industrial heritage.

The abandonment of industrial areas is explained as the displacement of production
depending on the development of technology and production processes. Various industrial
facilities like the power plant, paper mill, flour mill, and so on are protected by defining
new functions in case of their loss of function due to the development of technology.
However, refunctioning practices that diverge from their former function are defined
as a kind of displacement (Cengizkan, 2006). In this context, olive oil factories have a
special place in terms of maintaining and preserving the functions of olive oil factories
that have heritage value, since olive oil production in traditional ways is a valuable and
preferred production (Manisa and Yerliyurt, 2013). Traditional olive oil production has
an economic and touristic value both in terms of the production process itself and in the
context of the product produced. In this context, instead of turning the industrial buildings
into businesses such as hotels or supermarkets by displacing the old functions or leaving
them under the threat of disappearing with idle uses such as parking, a usage area should
be created with applications that directly keep the production function alive. Thus the
identity, history, and economy of the region feeds each other.

The question of how to protect the industrial heritage includes limitations based on
the maximization of profit (Loures, 2008). In this context, the economic value of olive oil
production in traditional ways is an opportunity to keep the industrial heritage areas alive
in the context of the olive oil industry without displacing the original function. In this
respect, keeping the olive oil production areas in the city center alive with the traditional
olive oil production function both ensures the preservation of the industrial heritage in a
holistic manner and contributes to the urban identity, tourism, and economy.

This approach is important in terms of preserving the production process itself and
the original value of the product, as well as the means of production and moving it into the
future. Indeed, an olive vice and an olive mill are on display in the garden of the Rahmi
Koç Museum in Ayvalık (Cunda). Instead of exposing production tools in the garden
of the museum, isolated from the production process, stationary and openly to wearing
effects such as rain, sun, etc., the in-situ display ensures that both production tools and
production areas are kept alive in a holistic manner. This approach also could create
unique places in terms of smell and sound in addition to the original value and historicity
of the production process and the product. In this respect, the production process should
be considered in the context of wholeness.

The holistic approach in protection should take into account spatial integrity as well
as the integrity which does not displace the original function by equipment, sound, smell, etc.
In this context, another originality of the olive oil production areas in Ayvalık city is formed
by the effect of transportation conditions on the positioning, in the context of being a port city

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and its effect on the development of the city. In this respect, production areas that are
located close to each other should be distinguished as a region. Their proximity is an
advantage in this context. Urban industrial heritage campuses can be created. Uses that do
not move away from the olive oil production, creative activities such as painting, poetry,
tune, object design, etc. focusing on olive oil or by-products, tasting or baking kitchens
focused on olive and olive oil, health information centers focused on olive oil can be
brought together. However, at this point, it should be kept in mind that the industrial
heritage value and the historicity of the olive oil production process need to be kept alive.
It should be avoided partial approach, the symbols of olive oil production areas should
not be seen as just chimneys, factories, and equipment. A holistic approach should contain
both spatial and historical integrity.

Withal, olive oil production areas in Ayvalık city are not just on olive oil production.
Productions such as prina, soap, vegetation water, which can be defined as “by-products”
of olive oil production, are also valuable in terms of economy and heritage. Many olive
oil factories in the city, before or after, as well as olive oil production, also covered the
productions such as soap, pomace, etc. For example, Ömer Sezai Madra olive oil factory,
which has refining, soap manufacturing, and packaging departments, was used as an olive
oil factory until the 1990s, then was used as a soap factory (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and
Sönmez, 2013). Kırlangıç ​o​ live oil factory was built in 1942 as a pomace factory, later
used as a soap factory and olive oil filling facility were added (Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and
Sönmez, 2013). Along with the by-products of olive oil production, variety is another
attraction-opportunity specific to the industrial sector, in the context of olive and olive
oil types per se.

In this context, “traditional olive production facilities” can be transformed into
places where the production process is kept alive, through narratives that keep the history
alive, productions that produce products, tasting kitchen where varieties are exhibited.
Increasing the attractiveness of the factories, which are the industrial heritage value
of olive oil, and re-functionalizing them without displacement, can provide long-term
sustainable contributions to the olive, to the industrial heritage, to the city, and to the
human beings, strengthens the spirit of the place and the identity of the city in the context
of geographical integrity.

In this way, places where production tools are displayed in-situ, where the
developments in the olive squeezing method in the historical process, the tools used
and production processes are explained, and where production experiences with sound
and smell can be created. Daily life can be built like a festival based on olive-olive oil
production that spreads throughout the year instead of accumulating and experiencing
people who coincide with a certain period of the year10. Thus, Ayvalık, which is currently
an important tourism center, can be defined as an industrial museum city where the olive
and olive oil industry is kept alive with production processes instead of only products.

10   like harvest festivals that go back to the 1970s and today continue at the international festival level
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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

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As an Industrial Heritage Value, Olive Oil... Güldane MİRİOĞLU

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464

AYDIN TEXTILE FACTORY AS IN THE
CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Sultan BAYSAN1 - Adil Adnan ÖZTÜRK2 - Lütfi BUDAK3

Abstract

Aydın province, which is between one of Turkey’s top five provinces in terms of
development namely Izmir and an industrial city of Denizli has become an important
transit center to date. Although Aydın has a more limited industrial character between
the two multifunctional cities, it has also hosted well-established factories throughout its
history. Among these, Nazilli Basma and Aydın Textile Factory are two of the leading
establishments of the newly founded Republic. Thus, Aydın Textile Factory is the subject
here as a case study in line with the industrial heritage concept, which can be defined as
memories preserved by the historical and cultural past.

In this study, the following will be discussed: the transformation characteristics
of Aydın Textile Factory campus, which was established as a public joint stock company
in 1953 and had its active years in the 1980s, as a result of the changes in economic
decisions, and how this transformation is reflected in today’s industrial heritage. As in
many instances in Turkey, the 177-acre of the campus of today Aydın Textile expropriated
by the Metropolitan Municipality, are being restored and is waiting for the day to be
opened to the public as an urban green space and recreational area as well as a memorial

public space.

1   Prof.Dr., Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Education

e-mail: [email protected] ORCID: 0000-0001-7431-7973

2   Assistant Prof., Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Education

e-mail: [email protected] ORCID: 0000-0003-3457-2229

3   Research Asssistant, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Education.

e-mail: [email protected] ORCID: 0000-0001-8313-866X

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Introduction

Remains of industrial culture are being redesigned and used today for various purposes.
According to International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH),
industrial heritage can be defined as memories in which historical and cultural past are preserved
and the necessity to protect it is important for human history. According to Doğan (2009),
factories are not only structures that house machines, but also tools for introducing of a new
lifestyle and culture to the society. Just as place names (e.g. Baysan and Kara, 2014; Gülbetekin
and Öztürk, 2016) being important in terms of urban memory, re-evaluating industrial areas and
facilities that have lost their former appearance (as a result of decentralization of industry) is
also important in order to preserve urban social memory. Thus, while cities change like living
organisms, why erase the traces of the past?

Efforts to protect the industrial heritage started in order to protect the identity and
memory of the cities. The wear and tear that occurred after the Industrial Revolution and its
continuation with the 2ndWorld War made to come up with cleaning and restoring the destruction
that occurred in European cities. As Karadağ and İncedere (2020) stated the purpose here is to
arrange poor-looking urban landscapes and to make room for new uses with the increase in the
value of these lands due to the congestion in the urban area over time.

Early work about preserving industrial heritage starts after the 2nd World War. The
Council for British Archeology set up the first Committee for Industrial Archeology in 1959.
In 1970’s other European countries begun to be more concsious on the issues and 1975 was
the year of European Architectural Heritage. Following this event the TICCIH was established
in 1978. In 1980’s and 1990’s many industrial buildings were concerned with “outstanding
regeneration schemes”. After the “collapsing of Eastern Block Central European countries”
in where concentrated industrial heritage sites became the subject of preserving issues, besides
“losing many unique industrial machines and buildings” (Walczak, 2005: 2). Despite it is a
relatively new industrial site Aydın Textile Factory (Aydın Tekstil: hereafter this original term
will be used) has already lost its machinery, but the remains were attempted to be protected and
sustained in new forms of (if necessary) use of the historical urban environment.

In many countries the history of the re-evaluation of industrial plants with new
forms starts earlier compare to Turkey. In this sense, the UK, where the industrial
revolution started, can be regarded as a pioneer (Hewison, 1987; Alfrey and Putnam,
1992). This includes other continental European countries, such as Portugal (e.g. Loures,
2008), Spain (e.g. Pozo and González, 2012), Italy (Chilingaryan, 2014; Vita, Trizio and
Palmero Iglesias, 2019) or even Greece (Agaliotou, 2015). In addition, lists of industrial
heritage and acceptance criteria have been published as in the World Cultural Heritage
List (Köksal, 2012: 20, see also examples of reused industrial heritage in Köksal, 2012).

Some cities in Turkey, have more mileage in terms of the sustainability of the
industrial heritage. Silahtarağa Power Plant (Silahtarağa Elektrik Santrali) (Köksal,
2005), which was re-functionalized as Santral İstanbul in İstanbul, and Beykoz Rope
Factory (Beykoz Halat Factory)(Altanlar and Sınmaz, 2013) are only two examples.

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The work of Ahmet Piriştina City Archive and Museum (Ahmet Piriştina Kent Arşivi
ve Müzesi) (APIKAM) in İzmir is also remarkable. In addition, publications aiming
to draw attention to the industrial heritage are increasing (Alfrey and Putnam, 1992;
Edensor, 2005; Çelikoğlu, Baylan, Dikmen, Kandilci and Köran, 2009; Özsoy, 2011;
Serçe, 2014; Akıncılar, Baysan and Öztürk, 2013; Karadağ and İncedere, 2017;
Yavaşoğlu and Özgül, 2020). For example, Karadağ and İncedere (2020) discussed
the urban sustainability of industrial heritage sites in their case study of Alsancak Port
Adjacent Region. As the authors (2020) stated, now, projects for the re-evaluation of
industrial heritage are increasing with the rise in the commodity value of idle facilities
in the city center.

Industrial heritage sites are unique settings. They are benefited from several
markets, ranging from the industrial heritage tourism to special events, festivals or as in
the case of Aydın Tekstil, recreational activities when the renovation project is finished.
Therefore, Aydın Tekstil as an industrial heritage site offers the post-industrial society of
Aydın new forms of activities.

In the field of cultural assets, there are 776 registered cultural and natural assets in
Aydın (Kozaman, 2012: 133). According to the data of the Cultural Heritage Preservation
Board, there are 13 industrial building sites in Aydın region in the list. Aydın Tekstil on
the top of this list (Table 1). The remaining 7 are Tariş (Tarım Satış Kooperatifleri Birliği)
(Agricultural Sales Cooperatives Union) structures established in various locations.

Table 1. List of industrial buildings protected as cultural heritage in Aydın

Aydın Tekstil Factory
Aydın-Efeler Tariş structures next to Kipa
Germencik Merkez Tariş structures (next to Railway Station)
Ortaklar Tariş structures
İncirliova Tariş structures
Erbeyli Tariş structures
Kuşadası Tariş structures
Umurlu Zeytinyağı Fabrikası (Umurlu Olive Oil Factory)
Sultanhisar Tariş structures
Sultanhisar Olive Oil Factory (on the Nysa road)
Buildings in ADÜ Campus in Sultanhisar
Atça Tariş structures
Yenipazar Çırçır Fabrikası (Yenipazar Ginnery Factory)
Source: Provided by Aydın cultural heritage preservation board (12.02.2021).

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Aydin Textile Factory as in the Context ... Sultan BAYSAN - Adil Adnan ÖZTÜRK - Lütfi BUDAK

The railway has performed a similar function in Aydın as the structures that have an
entrepot (warehouse) function around the port of İzmir. After the 1980’s political policies,
negative developments in the economy, global impacts, steps such as privatization of
public private enterprises have led to changes in the industrial structure in Turkey.
Organized Industrial Zones (OIZ) and small city industrial sites (SIS) were established;
with the decentralization of the industry in the inner cities, traditional industrial areas
remained idle for a long time. After the 1990s, interest in these lands has increased again
and the studies have been intensified as in Europe even in tourism studies (İncirlioğlu,
1991; Goodall, 1993; Kerstetter, Confer and Bricker, 1998; Tanyeli, 1998; Tanyeli ve
Deniz, 2009; ). In Aydın, as can be seen from Table 1, some dormant and worn-looking
structures are now being evaluated for new purposes. The renewal that started in Tekel
warehouses parallel to Aydın railway station is one of them (Photo 1).

Photo 1. Tekel warehouse renovation bordering to Aydın Railway Station, 2021
Source: Sultan Baysan

The issue of the sustainability of an industrial heritage site can be considered new for
the city of Aydın. For example, Forbes licorice structures in Nevzat Biçer Park serve with
different functions than the original. One of the buildings, which is thought to have been
producing since 1854 and attracts attention with its proximity to the railway, functions as a
cafe-restaurant and the other as a marriage office. The area is also used extensively by the
public as a recreation area. İzmir-based MacAndrews and Forbes Co. made production of
licorice root and licorice honey in Aydın (particularly in Söke) around 19th century, which has
lost its importance today. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a plant grown widely in the wet
soils of the Aydın plain, in the detached meanders of the Büyük Menderes river. Evliya Çelebi
(who was one of the most known travelers in the Ottoman era, who journeyed for more than
40 years within the borders of the Ottoman Empire) also refers to its ailments such as cough,

Photo 2. Images of Forbes Licorice Root Factory in the use of today’s Nevzat Biçer Park
Source: Sultan Baysan
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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

shortness of breath, diuretic and fever (Kahraman, 2017). The factory chimney here was used
for syrup extraction from licorice root (Photo 2). The fuel used for the exraction was lignite
obtained from deposits around Aydın, Nazilli and Söke (Tül, 2013: 143).

The Purpose, Method and Limitations

This chapter is about understanding the significance of Aydın Tekstil Factory as an
industrial heritage site. Therefore, in order to understand its significance it is attempted to
explain its history in the frame of industrial development in Aydın, the past and present
use of the built structures, undergoing renovation works and its cultural significance
regarding aestetic, historic, scientific and social values. In order to determine the
dimensions of the site literature search on industrial heritage was completed. Some online
databases for e-books and journals at Adnan Menderes University’s Library catalogues,
Web of Science, Proquest, Google Scholar, Researchgate and Academia were searched
until January 2021 with the keywords of industrial heritage, Aydın Tekstil Factory
both in English and Turkish. Archives of the factory were attempted to be found. Local
newspapers were searched for Aydın Tekstil between 1950-2021.

After the literature search national and local newspapers, Aydın provincial
annuals, the Project of Tariş History (Tariş Tarihi Projesi) (Arıkan, 1993), Kolsal’s (2015,
2017) studies on Aydın Tekstil area in the field of architecture and Uğur’s (2013, 2018)
publications on Aydın urban geography were also read elaborately. Again, contact was
made with Aydın Metropolitan Municipality and Aydın Cultural Heritage Preservation
Directorate. The list of industrial heritage areas under protection in Aydın and some
information has been gathered. Even though the factory was a relatively newly established
company, it has been diffucult to find information due to many factors including the lost
archive/data, restrictions from the public authorities who supposed to manage the area as
an industrial heritage namely the Aydın Metropolitan Municipality City, Directorates of
Planning and Aydın Cultural Heritage Preservation. Aydın Tariş Cotton Union was also
visited for finding out where the archive was moved. Therefore, sufficient support could
not be received from local authorities. It should be emphasised here in order to understand
the significance of the industrial heritage sites it is important to allow as many researchers
to research the sites especially with interdisiplinary approaches (Köksal, 2012). Because
when understanding the significance, developing policies gets easier to manage the
industrial heritage site. If the significance of the heritage was set clearly then the time
comes to monitor all the management issues in accordance with those policies.

The Importance of Research

Cultural and industrial paysage gives a “sense of place” and reveal our relations
with the areas of the past (Drury, 2002; Loures, 2008; Foote and  Azaryahu, 2009). In
order to revive the memory of the cities linking the past to the present is needed (Argın,
2021). Disappearence of the values results in the breakage of the next generations to their

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cultural history, because particularly the industrial heritage has been eradicating over time
therefore the young will miss the physical expression of former ways of life.

Aydın Tekstil structures complies with the industrial heritage concept defined by
TICCIH (2011). Industrial heritage is “sites that include industrial buildings, complexes,
areas and industrial landscapes, as well as machinery, objects and structures that
are evidence of the ongoing or past form and process of production, extraction and
conversion of raw materials into products, and associated energy and transportation
infrastructures”. As Niederhagemann (2011: 15) stated that “architectural monuments are
structural facilities which are important for the history of humans, cities and settlements
or for the development of the work and production conditions. There must be artistic,
scientific, traditional or urban reasons for their preservation”. Aydın Tekstil is a great
industrial site that has its production units, a boiler room, engineer and manager houses,
(now demolished) single pavilion and civil servant houses. The site has also social and
sports areas; it is a large area as well as surrounding green areas. Aydın Tekstil factory
has already been attempted to be preserved for its structural facilities, its history for
humans, its memoirs for urbanization of the city. The factory as an industrial heritage
example supplies descriptive information about its history, namely its operations, social
and cultural events as well as technology of its time.

As Niederhagemann (2011: 20) tells us “conservation and rehabilitation of
industrial heritage is a special section of cultural heritage management. The work
differs because of, for example, dimensions, … and requirements for new uses”.Industrial
heritage differs from cultural heritage because dimensions of these kind of monuments
may be enormous, or they can be a contamination source since hazardous waste may
have been generated or treated. Moreover, it needs to be found out new uses for them in
order to make them sustainable. However, if an industrial monument has not encountered
with its new use, it is still important to protect it for future generations in order to achieve
sustainability. Aydın Tekstil seems to have found its new uses as mentioned earlier, is
great in size and has a complex character.

In Aydın, there has been a multicultural life in the Ottoman era due to its product
of fig, olive grows and trading. After the Independence War of 1922 the city was almost
left ruined (Tül, 2013) by particularly the “devil battalion” of the Greek Army (Özdil,
2021). Therefore, a few number of structures remained. As will be explained later in
this chapter, industrialism therefore, started also late. Aydın Tekstil as being established
after the 1950’s only a few number of structures left from the earlier past, since then
this structure became an important part of the city’s industrial memory. Aydın Tekstil
may not be distinct at national but it is significant at local level. So the strategy should
be to protect, highlight and repurpose the industrial structure with the idea that directly
connected with its sense of place. Therefore, recognising the industrial heritage as an
“irreplaceable expression of the wealth and diversity of common culture” (Loures, 2008)
as indicated in the European Cultural Convention in 1954 by the Council of Europe, is a
step forward approach to give value to our industrial past.

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

In short, Aydın Tekstil Factory reflects both the holistic policies of the modern
Republic and the liberal structure of the period it was founded; moreover, being the first as a
comprehensive industrial facility in the city center of Aydın reveals its importance. Again,
the factory being one of the important representatives of the Republic’s industrialization
in the Aegean Region and the modernist aesthetics, it makes the site a historical and
cultural value that should be protected (Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010). The fact that the site
contains many accumulations specific to the period before and after 1950 shows that it
has almost a hybrid structure, as will be explained later. Such an hybrid structure carries
the site, which conveys important information about modern industrial spaces, to an even
more unique position (Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010). Therefore, despite all the limitations
mentioned before, this study conducted within the scope of industrial heritage is valuable
in terms of preserving the industrial heritage in the city and comparing the evaluation of
other industrial heritage buildings within this scope.

History of Industry in Aydın

The province of Aydın has mostly functioned as a transit center between İzmir
and Denizli cities, that are industrially developed. The prevailing Mediterranean climate
conditions have made the city an attractive location throughout history; it enabled the
cultivation of valuable agricultural products such as olives, cotton and figs on fertile lands.
Its proximity to the sea has also been an important advantage in being inhabited. In this
way, trade developed and caravan routes passed. The city also hosts Ionian settlements
such as Milet, Myus, Priene founded by pre-ancient civilizations and Karia settlements
such as Aphrodisias, Nysa, Alabanda and Alinda, and it has never been a priori city in
terms of development of industry.

According to Göney (1975), Büyük Menderes region has favorable conditions
in terms of raw materials, labor, transportation, market and capital required for some
industrial branches. The region is rich in “cotton yarn and textile industry, ginneries,
flour mills and biscuit factories, leather mills and coppersmith”. There are underground
resources such as, lignite, chrome and manganese. The soil is suitable for olive, cotton
and sesame growing supplying for olive oil, yarn and textile factories. Producers of
licorice honey and vegetable and fruit canning are also be mentioned.

Aydın attracted attention in the 17th century with its ateliers such as leather,
dyeworks and halva making, has 200 starching factory, 53 bakery, 32 flour mill, 20 oil
mill, 7 tile mill, 3 soap manufacturing, 2 cotton, 2 flour, 1 licorice factory in 1891 and
these were small atelier type of enterprises (Uğur, 2018). The factories mainly established
by foreign entrepreneurs were producing finished or semi-finished products and the
Aydın-İzmir railway was specifically costructed for transporting the products of the
region to İzmir Port. For example, cotton, olive oil and licorice root have been processed
by British, Greek and Armenian entrepreneurs (Uğur, 2018) and transported to İzmir
either by camels or railway to İzmir Port then to Europe by the ships.

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Although Aydın province displayed a more limited feature among multi-functional
cities in terms of industry, it still hosted the pioneering industrial establishments of the
Republic. It came out of the War of Independence with the loss of population and capital,
and was devastated by the Greek army during the 1922 Asia Minor Defeat (Tül, 2013).
Therefore, industrial gains increased only after the Republic, especially after the 1950s
and in the 1980s. In 1927, there were only 492 enterprises and 1943 employees in Aydın
central district. 52% of these enterprises was in the agriculture-based industry sector. 11%
was made up of the textile industry (Uğur, 2018).

Until Aydın Tekstil’s establishment, the largest facility, the Sümerbank Nazilli
Textile and Printed Fabric Factory (Sümerbank Nazilli Basma Fabrikası) in the center
of Nazilli district, was the “sound of the industry” (Doğan, 2007). This factory, which
started operating in 1937, became a center of attraction; therefore, Nazilli’s population
was higher than Aydın city center until 1965 (Uğur, 2018). World War II. prevented the
implementation of the major industrial plan of the country; thus, Aydın industry was also
adversely affected by the war circumstances. However, development started again after
the 1950s. Aydın Tekstil Factory, established in 1954 with the partnership of Sümerbank,
attracted attention with its multi-partnered private sector structure, in which Tariş
continues as a major shareholder later.

The factory completed the yarn in 1958, weaving in 1959, and the dyeing and finishing
departments in 1960, and it became a large integrated facility with its garment ateliers. In 1958,
the number of large-scale factories established in Aydın was 5, namely Söke Cement Factory,
Söktaş (Söke Cotton Products Evaluation Center Trade and Industry Joint Stock Partnership),

Table 2. Industrialization in Aydın and the status of Aydın Tekstil Factory in this process

1923-1950 period

1937 Establishment of Sümerbank Nazilli Basma Factory
1950-1980 period
1958 Commissioning of Kemer Hydroelectric Power Plant Establishment
of Aydın Tekstil (Aydın Textile Yarn Weaving Factory)
1970’s Söke Cement Factory starts production
1976 Establishment of two new large-scale weaving factories (Söktaş
1980-2000 period and Nazilli Yarn)
1993 Establishment of Aydın (Umurlu) Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ)
1996
Opening of Aydın Çıldır Airport serving small scale aircrafts
2000 and later Establishment of ASTİM Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ)
2003 Establishment of three OIZs in Söke, Nazilli and Ortaklar (1997)
after ASTİM

Establishment of Çine Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ)

Source: Evren, 2012: 108.

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a yarn factory established in Söke district and Sümerbank Nazilli Yarn and Printed Fabric
Factory established in Nazilli. In this respect, Aydın Tekstil is one of the important milestones
for the city and is the only integrated establishment in center of Aydın city.

In the period 1950-1980, five steps draw attention in terms of industrialisation. The
first facility of Sümerbank Nazilli Basma Factory, was followed by the commissioning
of the Kemer Hydroelectric Power Plant, the establishment of Aydın Tekstil and the Söke
Çimento (Cement) factories in 1958. Söktaş and Nazilli Yarn factories established in the
early 1970s and Aydın (Umurlu) Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ) in 1976 were these first
steps (Evren, 2012). As can be seen, until the 1980s, the number of large-scale industrial
enterprises in Aydın does not exceed the number of fingers of both hands. Sümerbank
Nazilli Basma, Aydın Tekstil, Söke Cement, Söktaş and Nazilli Yarn Factories make up
the top five. Industrial facilities established by years are also given in Table 2. As can be
seen in Table 2, Aydın has a limited number of buildings in terms of industrial heritage.
Considering the protection status in the city, before moving on to these limited number
of buildings, it is seen that 84% of the protected areas in Aydın are archaeological sites,
9% are natural sites, 1% is historical and 1% is archaeological and natural sites. The
remaining 5% constitute urban protected areas (Kozaman, 2012: 133).

Republic’s pioneering factories and their features

Among the three white raw materials included in the Ist 5 Year Industrial Plan
(1934-1939), considering the development steps of Turkey, cotton was included with flour
and sugar. This industrial plan was based on the supply of raw materials within the country
in the industries established in Turkey. Therefore, these sectors, which were the locomotives
of the industry, have provided step by step industrial development in Turkey. For example,
the sugar factories of Uşak and Alpullu (1926), which came into operation shortly after the
foundation of the Republic, Eskişehir and Turhal (1934) factories, were the structures that
changed the face of the places where they were established. These structures contributed
to the development of urbanism, the development of modern architectural elements and
infrastructure, as well as reinforcing non-formal education (Taygun, 1993; Karayaman,
2012; Dilek, Öztürk, Baysan, 2021). Industrial advances have been achieved in sectors such
as cotton and wool weaving, metallurgy based on the underground resources, aircraft, ships,
glass, cement, as well as in the food sector of flour and sugar.

In the field of weaving industry, Bünyan Weaving Factory (Bünyan Dokuma
Fabrikası) in 1927, Konya Ereğli, Bakırköy and Kayseri Fabric (Bez) factories (1934),
Nazilli Basma Factory (1935), Malatya Fabric Factory (Malatya Bez Fabrikası) (1937)
and Sümerbank, founded in 1933, were the strong steps taken by the country (Kiper, nd).
When the 2nd Industrial Plan came to the agenda in 1936, despite the footsteps of World
War II, investments in consumer goods, energy and mining areas continued (Kiper, n.d.).

In the 1930s, the Domestic Goods Market (Yerli Mallar Pazarı) was established
and import substitution was provided in the field of clothing. The advertising slogan of
the local goods market has been “just like custom made”. The purpose was to dress the

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Figure 1. Sümerbank ads
Source: Sumnu, n.d.

people “cheaply and in good quality” by the local clothing industry (Kiper, n.d.: 46).
The benefits of these factories manufacturing cloths, curtains, carpets etc have found
their place in the daily life styles of the people. For example, in an advertisement of
Sümerbank, the motto of “you can find every fabric you are looking for in every store of
Sümerbank” addressing the villager and the city citizen separately, was preserved in the
cultural memories of those who knew that period (Figure 1 3rd picture) (Kiper, n.d .: 47).

As the sugar industry, weaving factories were also the keys to development in the
early years of the Republic. These factories played a pioneering role in the formation of
the working class in Turkey (Dilek, Öztürk and Baysan, 2021). Until 1952, Halkapınar
Weaving Factory (Halkapınar Dokuma Fabrikası) was also joined to the textile industry,
besides, factories using other raw materials other than cotton in the weaving industry
such as Hereke silk, Isparta wool yarn, Bursa merino, Gemlik rayon factories, were also
established.

In the places where these factories were established, apart from their contribution
to their workers, the development of transportation lines, the supply of necessary goods,
establishment of cinemas and orchestras an so on, have contributed significantly to the
revival of cultural life, energy production, non-formal education and the development of
agriculture. They also pioneered the development of sports activities, as well as providing
seeds, creating income generation, helping to use the modern machinery and teaching
modern agricultural methods to farmers. As a matter of fact, teams of Şekerspor, Nazilli
Sümerspor and Aydın Tekstilspor can be given as examples of football teams supported
by the weaving industry. Moreover, football was not the only branch supported, also
volleyball, athletics, golf, swimming, tennis and cycling have also found the opportunity
to develop (Dilek, Öztürk and Baysan, 2021).

To summarize, the Republic era industrial settlements had an holistic approach.
They became examples of modern life with their “non-production units” and urban
identity. Although Aydın Tekstil Factory carried the liberal philosophy in the 1950s when
it was founded, it had that “holistic” approach for the whole aspects of development,
which was the characteristic of the first years of the Republic (Arıtan, 2009). As a matter
of fact, non-production units such as the bachelor’s pavilion (bekar pavyonu, where single

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workers were accommodated), summer and winter wedding hall, sports areas, civil servant
lodgings, manager and engineer houses on the site represent this holistic approach. This
situation also meant the development for the city as it was the first important industrial
establishment in the center when it was founded.

Site selection of Aydın industry

It is noteworthy that the industry in Aydın is mostly established on the İzmir-
Denizli axis. Today, the general direction of the factories established in Aydın after the
1950s, together with the Sümerbank Nazilli Basma Factory established in 1937, is on
this axis (Figure 2) (Ökten and Şengezer, 2012). Most of the Organized Industrial Zones
(OIZ) follow the Büyük Menderes graben in the East to West direction (Buharkent,
Nazilli, Aydın (Umurlu), ASTİM (Aydın Industry and Trade Business Center), Ortaklar
OIZ). This selection of East-West oriented location is due to the general direction of
geomorphological elements, since historical times, it has undertaken the function of
connecting Aydın to the inner parts (such as Denizli, Afyon etc.) and also to İzmir, the
major commercial city and the main export harbour.

Figure 2. Aydın’s location and industrial development in Aydın and its surroundings
Source: Prepared with the help of Ökten and Şengezer, 2012 and Google Earth

Figure 3 shows the four development stages of Aydın city between 1923-2001
(Uğur, 2003). Aydın Tekstil Factory was established in the second phase and took its place
on the edge of the city core. The railway is passing through its North, the highway is in its
South. Moreover, the large mass of the factory affected the formation of the city towards
the eastern direction. Second map in Figure 3, shows the functional areas in the city, thus,
Aydın Tekstil is shown with its curent state of being considered as a green space.

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Figure 3. Site Plan Showing Functional Distribution in Aydın Tekstil Factory and 1923-2001 City
Development and Function Areas in Aydın
Source: Kolsal, 2015 : 61 and Uğur, 2003: 51, 56

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Industrial Heritage in the Urban Identity and Memory Axis

A self-sufficient spatial organization draws attention in the layout plans of campuses
such as textile and sugar factories. It can be said thatAydın Tekstil ignores local conditions with
its great size and architecture. Gridal circulation networks representing an order and rational
structure in terms of the places where buildings were located, and the tree cover established to
reduce both visual and sound pollution and provide privacy, are remarkable. Figure 4 shows
the factory’s place in the city and the structures where they were located. The shopping mall
(Forum Aydın) in the East was once within the plot of the establishment (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Aydın Tekstil Factory location (the İzmir-Denizli road crosses from the south, the Wholesale Food
Bazaar, which was opened in the 1990s, is visible in the southeast)
Source: Prepared by S. Baysan in Google Earth

Figure 5 includes the site plans showing the chronological distribution of additions
in the buildings of Aydın Tekstil (Kolsal, 2015: 57, 61). The site developed over time
by incorporating other production and social structures. In addition to production and
administrative buildings, various types of residences for employees, social facilities such
as cinemas, sports areas and educational buildings such as nurseries and primary schools
are the parts of this spatial organization.

Although Aydın Tekstil did not have a statist structure that was mandatory in the
first years of the Republic, it became a self-sufficient establishment with this spatial
organization. This place, like other Early Republic Period factory sites, “can be easily
perceived from the road at the entrance or exit to the city” and with this feature, it provided
an example to modern life. Again, following the tradition, the factory’s provision of
afforested area to the city where it was located served to establish the relationship of
the factory with its environment in a gentle manner. Therefore, in the words of Kolsal
(2015: 41), it can be said that “Aydın Tekstil site is also a structuring inspired by the
pioneering industrial buildings that are the bearers of the Republican era modernization
and nourished by their spatial organization schemes”. At the entrance to the site, there is a
square, as well as a green buffer zone, followed the characteristics of the early Republican

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Figure 5. Site plans showing the chronological distribution of the added buildings in Aydın Tekstil area
Source: Kolsal, 2015: 57, 61.

factories. From here, there is a road network to the factory, administration and social
structures, and the square is described as the reflection of Atatürk squares on an urban
scale (Kolsal, 2015).

Raw material

Cotton, which originated in India, is thought to have been brought to Anatolia in
the 1st century. Cotton, which is a herbaceous or woody plant, began to become widespread
in Anatolia, dating back to the Byzantine period and the 6th century. However, it was seen
that the main developments in cotton farming and cotton weaving took place during the
Seljuks, Principalities and Ottomans (Martal and Gökdemir, 1993).

The British, who had a monopoly on cotton and cotton trade in their economic
relations with the Ottoman Empire, fell into a shortage of raw materials under the
influence of the American Civil War in the 1860s, sought to improve cotton farming and

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cotton production in Western Anatolia. The Ottoman Government supported such efforts
and arrangements. Cotton seeds brought from Egypt and the United States through the
Great Britain were distributed free of charge to the farmer thus, cotton cultivation was
encouraged. In the process, the British employed around 30,000 black slaves also brought
from Africa on cotton farms in Western Anatolia. After the abolition of slavery in the
19th century, Afro-Turkish people stayed in the country and are still engaged in cotton
production, especially in Söke, Torbalı, Tire and Akhisar regions (Martal and Gökdemir,
1993: 210-213).

Aydın cotton was registered on the Paris Stock Exchange under the brand name
Souboujac/Sobuca (Tül, 2013: 144). Today, the land in front of Sobuca, a neighborhood
name in Koçarlı district, has agricultural characteristics suitable for cotton cultivation.
Cotton sold in round bales has a reputation as being the best product in the East in terms
of its bright white properties (Tül, 2013). With this feature, quality cotton raw material
was one of the leading factors in the high quality of the products produced by Aydın
Tekstil. Therefore, Aydın Tekstil Factory has become an integrated facility established
by appropriate raw materials, solving the capital problem with its multi-shareholder
arrangement, transportation and market conditions mentioned above.

Raw cotton was supplied mostly by Tariş which was established in 1915 as a
cooperative of cotton, fig, olive and raisin farmers and business people. Then, the cotton
was transformed into yarn, yarn was weaved as raw fabric and finished textile. The factory
sold its products either by its factory shops or by shipping to where the demand was.

Aydın Tekstil was built with its approximity to raw material of cotton. Cotton
agriculture was widespread around Aydın particulary on the Büyük Menderes plain. From
Aydın towards West particulary Söke plain supplied most of the raw material for the
factory’s machinery. Moreover, infrastructure for carrying workers and transporting the
raw material and finished goods to the markets resulted in a better network of roads e.g.
Aydın-Denizli road was built in the same years as the factory’s establishment.

Establishment of Aydın Tekstil Factory

Aydın Tekstil Factory, a leading industrial enterprise for the Central District of
Aydın, was one of 12 weaving factories established throughout the country in partnership
with the state-private sector (Evren, 2012). Aydın Tekstil was a facility that covered
an area of 267.147 m2. Its founding capital had been increased to ₺30.000.000. Tariş
participated in this organization with ₺16.000.000, Sümerbank ₺4.500.000, Ziraat Bank
₺500.000, Foundations Administration ₺360.0001 and the rest was purchased as a stock
by individuals. The factory employed 4 engineers, 6 technicians, 148 civil servants and
1540 workers. The facility, equipped with state of the art machines and equipment at that

1 $1 was equivalent of ₺2,8 in 1950-1960 period according State Statistic Institute (DİE). Source: Hürriyet Newspaper
https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/dolar-78-yil-once-80-kurustu-39228224 (Date. 08.05.2021).

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time, produced hasse (dense and evenly woven cotton cloth), ottoman type of fabrics,
non-patterned and patterned poplin, gabardin, fabrics for dresses, trench coats, upholstery
and all kinds of fancy cloths. In addition, these products were preferred in the local and
foreign markets.

Figure 6 shows the official document that Aydın Tekstil was established (BOA,
1953). According to this document the factory was established for cotton trading, ginning,
yarn and cotton textile goods. The full name of the factory was the Aydın Tekstil (Yarn and
Weaving) and Vegetable Oils Industry Enterprises Joint Stock Company (Aydın Tekstil
(İplik ve Dokuma) ve Nebati Yağlar Sanayii İşletmeleri Anonim Ortaklığı) (BOA, 1953).
The factory, which produced 30 million meters of fabric per year with 1200 employees,
in three shifts, was completed yarn unit in 1957, raw cloth in 1958 and processed cloth
facilities in 1960 (Anonym, 1974: 294). The company’s capital was generated by families
that owned land in the area where the factory was located, donating 350 acres of land to
the public and selling shares. The main buildings of Aydın Tekstil Factory were built with
the participation of Sümerbank. Due to the budget shortfall in the purchase of machines
and textile looms, then Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, who was from Aydın, influenced
Tariş management, as an effective institution in the region, to become a 50/50 shareholder
on the condition that the Association buy the machines (Kolsal, 2015).

Figure 6. Establishment Permit of Turkish Joint Stock Company of Aydın Textile and Vegetable Oils Industrial
Enterprise (Aydın Tekstil ve Nebati Yağlar Sanayii İşletmeleri A.Ş.) (Source: BOA, 131/21/14, 26.03.1953
Document) ve 2nd picture Foundaton Ceromony
Source: Cumhuriyet, 07.05.1955 ve 3rd picture 1970 Partnership Certificate of Sümerbank (Source: BOA,
256/62/1, 21.08.1970 Document)

The groundbreaking ceremony of the factory was held on 7 October 1955 by
President Celal Bayar and Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. Sümerbank General Manager
Mehmet Akın said in his opening ceremony speech that:

“As a result of the economic policy pursued by our government, Sümerbank
establishes its new origin factories mainly through companies established with the
participation of private entrepreneurs. Aydın factory is one of the 10 factories being
established in this way. This factory belongs to The Turkish Joint Stock Company of
Aydın Textile and Vegetable Oils Industrial Enterprise (Aydın Tekstil ve Nebati Yağlar

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Sanayii İşletmeleri A.Ş.), which was established by Sümerbank, Ziraat Bank and İş
Bank, especially for Aydın citizens” (Milliyet Newspaper, 07.10.1955).

This explanation indicates that the factory was one of the first factories
established with the weight of state support and private enterprise during the transition
period, in which a liberal understanding of economic policies was intended to be
adopted. Cumhuriyet Newspaper (07.05.1955), in its factory opening news (Second
picture in Figure 6), states that the amount of cotton weaving reached 275 million
meters in 1954 from 143 million in 1949 and will increase to 700 million in 1957
in Turkey. This means a 2,5-fold increase in production in three years time with the
participation of Aydın Tekstil in newly established weaving factories. According to
the information obtained from the land registry records, Aydın Tekstil was registered
as a Anonymous Partnership on 31.05.1959 and became a Joint Stock Company on
21.05.1965. This is an indication that the factory has completed its institutionalization
over time (Kolsal, 2015: 54). The third image in Figure 6, documents the Sümerbank
partnership in 1970 (BOA, 19).

It is stated that the establishment, which had its most active years in the 1980s,
went into decline due to its inability to capture the developments in the textile sector and
management problems in the following periods. Therefore, the resulting economic crisis
was tried to be overcome by the sale of some parcels from the factory’s land. However,
despite the initiatives, the factory went into liquidation with the decision of the management
to stop production in 2002. Here, the weakening of the efficiency of Tariş in the region
was also due to its bad management (Sürgevil, 1993). In the periods after production
stopped, economic interests on the land caused parcel sales to undermine the integrity of
the settlement. Especially located in the East of the site, in what was once factory land, the
shopping mall is an example of such disposals (Kolsal, 2015: 54-55).

Aydın Tekstil Factory, opening in 1954, the factory, which was privatized in
1987, continued its production until 2002 that closed in its 50th year; then it remained
dormant. In 2013, Aydın Metropolitan Municipality decided to change the zoning plan
regarding the factory, buying the factory area from 684 partners besides Tariş Cotton
Union (Tariş Pamuk Birliği), which had a 999% stake in Aydın Tekstil Factory. Then,
the 177 acres of the factory were designated as a green space as an urban recreation
area (Özçakır, 2014). In the press about the factory, it is stated that its clock, “showing
the time of the complete abandonment of the plant in 2005, symbolically marking
the end of its own history, and that the “giant plant” is entrusted to three guards”
(Özçakır, 2014). Photo 3 shows the clock, one of the symbols of the factory.

Incorporation process and administrative operations in the
establishment of Aydın Tekstil

The decision to establish the factory was adopted on 11.11.1952 under the name
of Aydın Tekstil (Yarn Weaving) and Vegetable Oils Industrial Enterprises Joint Stock

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Company (A.Ş.) in the Hall of the National Aydın Bank, which is also a historical building
to be preserved as an industrial heritage (Figure 6). After this date, the shareholders were
accepted and the purposes of the company were decided as follows: cotton buying and
selling, ginning, yarn manufacturing, weaving, establishing auxiliary facilities for cotton
supply, selling products, opening sales and display stores, participating in exhibitions,
opening sales stores in various cities and towns (Sürgevil, 1993).

Photo 3. The clock, one of the symbols of Aydın Tekstil Factory under the main entrance
Source: (Özçakır, 2014) and its current state, 2021 Photo: S. Baysan

After the official establishment of the company, preparations were made to “find
a product with little competition, accordingly to prepare a factory project with the power
to produce 8,9 million meters in length” and to find the appropriate land. It was decided
that the factory would make “white and colored hasse, calico (patiska), tülbent (a kind of
traditional cotton tulle scarf fabric), tweed fabric (cotton gabardine) and thin shirt fabric”.
“The company started to purchase approximately 250 acres of land in the area between
Tastaban-abattoir-railway-state highways (present location) in the region that Aydın
Municipality designated as a heavy industrial area” (Sürgevil, 1993: 241). Regarding
the factory project, Sürgevil (1993) states that the executive committee of The German
Union Mateks Inc. and a Japanese company made proposals for the establishment. Then,
the factory accepted the Japanese company’s proposal (Sürgevil, 1993).

In the mid-1960s, the factory produced a variety of cloths over 10 million meters
per year. In 2000, it increased its capacity to 150 million meters. In the 1960s, it employed
over 1,500 workers, but this number decreased to 691 in 2000 due to both increased
mechanization and austerity measures.

In the first years when Aydın Tekstil was founded, its multi-shareholder structure
drew attention until 1981, and in the following years it was observed that it became a
“subsidiary” under the influence of Tariş Agricultural Sales Cooperatives Association.
It is also noted that the long-term sustainability of multi-shareholder structure and
cooperation “show the level of consciousness of the local people” (Sürgevil, 1993: 245).

The company, which was originally designed to be established with a capital
of ₺3 million but only 1/4 of which was collected from the shareholders, was allowed

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by the decision of the Council of Ministers dated 26.03.1953 and numbered 4/415, in
1954 the trade registration record number was 120 given by the Ministry of Economy
and Trade. Meanwhile, the Tariş Cotton Cooperatives Association participated with ₺6
million and Sümerbank with ₺2 million by increasing capital; ₺7 million was collected
from the people. The factory was tendered for ₺6 million, finished in 1957, reached
the assembly stage; weaving unit started in 1958; by 1959, it was fully operational. In
the factory, including assembly works, 18 personnel were employed in technical and
administrative jobs and 516 personnel were workers. The fact that the factory being able
to meet its payments had increased the opportunities to obtain loans from Sümerbank,
Ziraatbank and İşbank. The infrastructure of the factory, water, electricity, social facilities
and reforestation works were evaluated within a program (Sürgevil, 1993). Moreover, the
yarn unit was launched on 01.12.1958 after the trial production on 01.08.1958; weaving,
dyeing, finishing parts, workshops and the boiler room were put into operation. In 1958,
the factory sold an amount of ₺509,458.71 product, mainly coil yarn.

Products and the effects of the factory on the urban life

Products and the market conditions

With Aydın Tekstil, which was founded under the leadership of Sümerbank and
gradually transferred to the private sector, the production of cotton yarn and cotton weaving in
Aydın increased significantly. Aydın Tekstil, which had 22,000 spindles and 448 weaving looms,
processed an average of 3,500 tons of cotton per year in 1973, employing 1,500 people and
producing an average of 10 -11 million meters of fabric per year. The company exported cotton
weaving and yarn to the European and Middle Eastern countries (Anonym, 1982: 1030).

In 1959, the factory’s product range expanded and produced orders of the market.
Some products included yarn, hood cloth, poplin, calico, crepe, flannel, georgette, blouse
and shirt fabrics, curtains, pyjamas and panama-type fabrics. Luxury poplin, crepe fabric
and calico were favourite goods of the textile market (Sürgevil, 1993: 242).

In 1961, financial problems began due to the problems with the stock management.
It was then proposed to increase the capital to ₺50 million; however, since the annual
consumption of the factory was ₺50 million, divident share could not be distributed to
the shareholders. In 1964, the crisis in the world textile market and the emergence of
other rival companies, even the copying of Aydın Tekstil products, caused a decrease
in production. In 1966, production and quality were improved; in 1967, new machinery
purchases were made to withstand competition. In 1969, exports were made to countries
such as Austria, England, Libya, Iraq, the Netherlands and Romania (Sürgevil, 1993).

As a facility where 1500 people were employed in the 1970s and 3500 tons of
cotton were processed annually as raw materials (Evren, 2012) the factory also produced
cotton shirt, satin, etamine, corduroy, ribbed denim dress, pyjamas, collar wire, jeans, as
well as 67% polyester and 33% viscose dress fabric (Anonym, 1974: 294). Apart from

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Table 3. Distribution of shareholders in Aydın Tekstil Factory in 1983

Shareholder Percentage (%)
Tariş, Cotton Agricultural Sales Cooperatives Union 53,33
Sümerbank 0,83
Milli Aydın Bank 0,40
Agriculture Bank 0,09
Turkish Trade Bank 0,01
General Directorate of Foundations 0,01
Number of estimated other 1400 shareholders 45,33
Total 100,00

Source: Adapted from Sürgevil, 1993: 243-244.

domestic use of products, Aydın Tekstil’s fabrics, where production was of high quality,
spread throughout the World namely to Europe, Asia, Australia and America (Toros,
1971: 113). In 1972, the regeneration continued. In addition to the finishing and weaving
sections, new machines were bought for yarn and weaving. In 1975, Tariş and Sümerbank
began inspection. At the end of 1979, ready-to-wear facilities started to be assembled and
renovation plans were made for the factory.

1980 was the year when technical and administrative errors prevented efficiency.
It was stated that there were political debates and pressures and that the factory was
treated as a “public economic entity” (Tariş Pamuk Kooperatifi (Tariş Cotton Union),
Meeting on 14.02.2021). The factory was in a difficult situation because it was unable to
pay the debts (insurance premiums, penalties and interest, personnel expenses, income
tax, stamp duty, etc). In 1981, it was decided to increase the capital to ₺540 million (of
which ₺300 million was from Tariş and Milli Aydın Bankası (National Aydın Bank)).
Thus, Tariş became the largest shareholder. As of 1983, the distribution of shareholders
is in Table 3:

Especially in terms of capital, the company became immense. However, since
1981 the share of small shareholders, decreased when Tariş’s shares increased to more
than 50%, therefore, the support of local people (although its products were still favoured)
almost nonexisted (Sürgevil, 1993: 245) whereas, the factory was an important source of
employment for the region.

In 1984, there was continuity and increase in production and investments. In
fact, collective bargaining agreements were followed by wage increases. After 1986,
the problem of capital reappeared; the loan interest had to be paid, and the shortage of
resources continued with the contraction of exports. New machines were bought in 1989,
but cash shortages continued. Aydın Tekstil, which was affected by the Gulf Crisis of
1990, was a factory that used loans to pay workers’ wages and had to pay interest. In
1991, 812 workers (115 staff, 19 temporary, total 134) were laid off from the yarn and

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weaving sections, and 946 people overall. These workers, who were laid off due to the
financial crisis, could only be compensated in 1992; foreign sales also continued.

In the mid-1960s, the plant produced more than 10 million meters of cloth per
year. In 2000, it increased its capacity to 150 million meters. Again, in the 1960s, while
employing over 1500 workers, this number decreased to 691 in 2000 with both increased
mechanization and austerity measures (Uğur, 2018).

Photo 4. Some of the ads of Aydın Tekstil Factory
Source: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/69524387973278612/

The situation of the markets, changes in the textile industry, cumbersome structure
of the management, the failure to make decisions wheretaking immediate steps were
necessary, the “do it all over again” approach of the administrations, “bureaucratic
obstacles, trends of political powers” brought Aydın Tekstil closer to the end rapidly. The
factory was liquidated in 2002; assets sold; today the factory complex has succumbed to
time; also had a building fire in 2014 (Anonym, 2014). Moreover, there is no any single
machine left in the factory, but only the building structures.

The effects of the factory on the urban life
Aydın Tekstil, as Sümerbank, also influenced the clothing culture and daily life
of people. In its advertisements, similarities can be seen with the way of impact on daily
life and the way of life of the early Republican period in the Sümerbank advertisements
described at the beginning of this chapter. For example, the advertisement on factory-
produced poplins in Photo 4 highlights the poplins produced by Aydın Tekstil, their quality
and the variety of products produced by the factory in men’s and women’s clothing as the
secret of professional success for tailors. In addition, the factory emblem was highlighted
in the advertisements and it was aimed to emphasize the hardworking characteristics
of Aydın Tekstil with a bee, chimney and a wheel. Similar themes were also seen in
Sümerbank ads mentioned in previous sections.
The site looked like a small district with great factory buildings as well as a
detached fire service, housing and separate units for single workers. It is stated that many

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intellectuals witnessed their special days, especially in the summer and winter wedding
halls in the garden. The factory’s dining hall, which was a space for those who want to
cool off under the trees in the garden restaurant in summer, was a separate sign of prestige
as a social opportunity. Ministers and guests who visited Aydın were welcomed in these
facilities; held on nights and special occasions, republic balls, new year’s celebrations,
thus the facility used to provide diversity and solidarity (Özçakır, 2014).

The machines worked with the energy provided from the steam boiler at Aydın Tekstil. It
was reported that the first heated manager and engineer housing in Aydın was established here.

The factory also offered cultural and social opportunities to its employees. It is
stated that the factory contributed to the activities of the province through literacy courses,
worker and master training courses, internship chance for technical students and sportive
events (Anonym, 1968: 2276). Among the opportunities, the nursery was completed in
1960, where education and care was provided. Its building was used for multipurposes,
including infirmary service, after its closure (Kolsal, 2015).

The football team of the factory as among the first institutional teams was important
for Aydın. Those who played good football that competed in the amateur cluster were
recruited to the factory. Thus, while many amateur teams were struggling financially,
factory-supported Aydın Tekstilspor, as a strong team having its own field, would take the
championship trophy to the factory museum every year (Özçakır, 2014).

The factory also had social services that provided regular meals and transportation
services to its workers and continued to serve meals during the night. Again, the textile
factory, which privileged the garments and fabrics it produced with discount coupons
called “ordino”, became the application address of unemployment (Özçakır, 2014).
However, the need for fewer workers through mechanization, profitability concerns,
mismanagement, political pressures and other problems led to intensive layoffs; the
factory had been dragged into the closure.

Although from time to time it was interpreted that the factory remained weak in
terms of the social impact which was aimed at the organizations of the early founding
years of the Republic, however the factory had both physical and social effects on the
city (Kolsal, 2013: 93). For example, the size of the area covered by the settlement, the
increase in housing stock for migrants and workers around the factory were the physical
effects of the factory on the city. Similarly, the factory’s nursery, infirmary services as well
as literacy or training courses for workers and sports activities (Anonym, 1968), cinema
screenings in the projection section of the dining hall, weddings and meetings held by
the covered pool in front of the factory’s dining hall were the socialization opportunities
provided to the public (Photo 5).

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Photo 5. The dining hall building and the covered pool for social organizations such as weddings, gatherings, etc.
Source: Karatosun and Arıtan 2010, view from today’s restoration works, 2021 Photo: S. Baysan

Factory’s sale and conservation decisions

In order to solve financial crisis some parts of Aydın Tekstil (plot number 2474
island/5 parcel registered in the East of the site) wa sold to Multi Turkmall (Multi Turkmall
Oniki Emlak Yatırım İnş. ve Tic. A.Ş.) to be converted to a shopping mall. Moreover, some
areas, such as those on the highway side, had been expropriated due to road expansions.
Later, decisions about protection had been taken for the assets of the factory that were
considered within the scope of industrial heritage. For example, it was decided to
register the Aydın Tekstil Factory, which was “located in Aydın Province, Center, Orta
Neighborhood, registered in 152 plots, 756 islands, 36 parcels, as a protected cultural
asset within the scope of the laws no. 2863 and 3386 due to the fact that it was the
first industrial structure established in the 1960s, which was also the symbol of the city,
documenting the economic, history and development of Aydın city” by the İzmir Number
II Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board (Ministry of Culture, 2001; Kolsal,
2015: 120). In addition, with the 2003 decision, it was accepted to protect the trees in the
site in the same board’s meeting (Ministry of Culture, 2003).

Moreover, Aydın Tekstil Enterprises, along with all the trees on the parcel, the
Factory Main Building built in 1954-1956 period, structures of Administration Building,
Factory Entrance Door, Factory’s Dining Hall (Canteen), Workshop and the Boiler Room
were registered at the İzmir Number II Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board
meeting (Ministry of Culture, 2004; Kolsal, 2015: 121).

Then, the Tree Relay, which was prepared with the decision of the Aydın Cultural
and Natural Assets Protection Regional Board dated 21.03.2007 and numbered 734 (in
the whole parcel), including the trees at the shopping mall’s plot on 2474 islands and 5
parcels, was found appropriate and indicated “sycamore (Platanus orientalis), peanut pine
(Pinus pinea), wild palm (Phoenix canariensis), palm trees (Archontophoenix alexandrea
etc), magnolia species (Magnolia grandiflora )” to be preserved by the decision of High
Council for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets (Kültür ve Tabiat Varlıklarını
Koruma Yüksek Kurulu) dated 05.11.1999 and principle decision no. 666/d and laws no.
3386 and 5266 and the law no. 2863 registered. In addition, besides these trees, it was
decided to obtain permission from the Board for any application to be made on other trees
(such as fruit and poplar) that complement the texture (Aydın Regional Board for the
Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, 2007; Kolsal, 2015: 122).

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Site Features of Aydın Tekstil Factory

Aydın Tekstil is located in the east of the city, between the İzmir-Denizli highway
and railway lines. Although it is on the railway line, no intermediate station was planned
here. This may be due to the proximity of Aydın main station. The highway, which is the
main artery, also established at the same time as the factory and then it might be preferred
for the transportation of cotton raw material and finished goods as a transportation policy
of the 1950s.

The factory area was planned as gridal (Kolsal, 2017: 32) in accordance with
transportation axle. It is stated that around 1000 trees were planted as of the years of
establishment. These trees, which are now under protection, constitute the densest green
area of Aydın city; then its site is also valuable in this respect.

The site had production, management, socialization, accommodation and
religiously oriented (masjid) structures added in the 1980s (Kolsal, 2017: 32). Like the
mosque, in the 1980s, some more stuctures were added as in the section on the entrance
door for female workers with this distinction, it is stated that the mindset differed
comparing to the early institutions of the Republic. Because earlier establishments
neither had a religious structure nor discriminatory approaches for female workers. The
aforementioned structures pointed to the holistic point of view mentioned at the beginning
of the chapter. While the houses of managers and engineers represented the hierarchy,
the former civil servant housing and the single hostel, which was built a little distantly,
referred to the hierarchy and the traditional rules of the society.

In addition to all these houses built in 1955, workers’ housing was built outside
the factory area in 1970 to provide ‘healthy housing and living conditions’ for workers
(Cengizkan, 2000: 30). Osman Yozgatlı Neighborhood, close to the factory, was found
suitable for workers’ housing. In 1967, it was announced that 55 single-storey individual
houses would be built by tender (Milliyet, 24.04.1967). It is stated that these houses bear
the traces of social policies before 1950 in the direction of taking care of the comfort
and family integrity of the worker and his/her family with a gardened, lean architecture
(Kolsal, 2017: 34). Nevertheless, due to the increase in the residence areas in the city
and the decrease in the use of social housing, which can be interpreted as a reflection
of the relaxations in the social mission after the 1950s, it was noted that there were only
administrative and technical personnel housing in the site (Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010).
Today, the neighborhood where the workers’ houses located has lost its old texture with
the changes with the addition of floors and alterations in those structures.

Production and administrative buildings within the site

The main production building is located at the central point of the site, as seen
in the aerial photo (Figure 7). This place has a strong relationship with other production
structures and the administrative building where management was provided. It is also in
contact with the highway and railway. When viewed from the highway passing the South

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Figure 7. Aerial photo view of the site boundaries and various buildings
Source: Prepared in Google Earth

of the settlement, the production building is hidden behind the administrative building and
tree texture grown over time. The main production building consisted of yarn, raw and
processed fabric facilities and finishing, weaving and trichotage units (Kolsal, 2015: 62).

From 1953 to 1983, additions were made to the main production building; the main
mass, which covered the most space in scale of the area, nearly doubled with additions.
There is a difference between the first production buildings and subsequent additions.
The shed roof that absorbed daylight attracts attention in the main mass, while the pitched
and tile roofs attract attention in other structures (Kolsal, 2015: 62). In Photo 6, the first
picture was taken in the 1960s with the production structures and the vague Aydın Tekstil
inscription that remains in the urban memory. In the second picture, the inscription on the
Boiler House stands out. The third picture was taken from the North and shows a closer
time. Here, the Boiler Room stands out for its cubic architecture and unscripted form in
the front right.

Photo 6. Aydın Tekstil views from the South (production buildings and Boiler House behind)
Source: Anonym, 1967: 277, 2nd Photo and Boiler House and Aydın Tekstil inscription
Source: Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010 cited in Kolsal: 2015, 3rd Photo views from the North (Boiler House with its
iconic cubic architecture on the front and production and administration buildings at the back)
Source: Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010

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The administrative building was established in parallel with the İzmir-Denizli
highway towards the South of the factory area (Photo 7). Its location is in the middle so
that it could control all structures. There was a sales store that opened in 1981, where
fabrics were sold on the left of the main entrance door in front of the administrative
building that considered to be a pioneer in terms of the lean lines of its age. The factory
also had stores in İstanbul (1969) and İzmir.

Photo 7. 1st and 2nd photos: Previous and present form of Administration Building, the 2nd Picture also shows
a wall of the mosque structure on the right, the 3rd picture shows the sales store of the factory near the main
entrance
1st Photo Source: Kolsal, 2013: 72; 2nd Photo: Sultan Baysan, 3rd Photo Source: Yörükce, 2012

The factory had four entrances. These entrances were the “Main Gate”, which
operated through Denizli Boulevard in the South, which is the main road, and enclosed
the advisory, security, sales store units; “Vehicle Door”, where goods were transported
through; “Housing Door”, where access to the resident area was provided; and “Çınarlı
Gate”, which connected to the highway in the North and fed vehicle traffic (Karatosun and
Arıtan, 2010). The main door had noteworthy monumental features, as seen in the first
image in Photo 8. Atatürk’s picture and his words, as in the inscription of “Turk, Praise,
Work, Trust”, existed in 1962 and was later removed. At the entrance to the main door
there is a green area with a bust of Atatürk as well and a small square surrounding it. At
the end of the square, there is the administrative building and the production structure to
which it is connected. Behind the compact production structure, which has an important
size in the terrain, the units supporting production are in two parallel structures.

Photo 8. The monumental main entrance door of the factory, 1962 (Source: Kolsal, 2015: 128), Atatürk bust
and administrative building seen through this entrance, 2021
Source: S. Baysan

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In the south-facing part of the site, there are places to socialise, various recreational
areas, and residence units on the southwest line. On the foot of the residence units moving
the north towards the site, there are sports and recreational areas and a single pavilion. In
addition, orchards from the establishment still exist in the western and eastern directions
of the enterprise. All these functional groups and structures were organized within a
rational and clear circulation network within the site (Karatosun and Arıtan, 2010).

Accommodation structures on the site

Besides the workers’ houses outside the factory area, there were various
residence structures in the site. These were also structures that repeat the common
characteristic of the first industrial factories of the Republic. With this feature,
social opportunities were offered for the employees at various levels. Although it is
considered to provide some opportunities such as housing, sports, etc for employees,
it is also stated that these opportunities appealed to relatively few employees and in
this respect the establishment shows the characteristics of the liberal policies of its
period (Kolsal, 2017: 35).

Before the factory closed, there was a single pavilion, civil servant housing,
engineer and manager’s house located towards the West of Aydın Tekstil. It is noted
that the single pavilion, which was now demolished, was located away from other
housing buildings but close to the production units. It symbolized a collective life
with sections of sleep, dressing and bathing (Kolsal, 2017: 33). Today, like the
bachelor pavilion, civil servant housing was also demolished in the last renovation.
The engineer and manager’s house is being renovated. Photo 9 shows the director’s
house.

Photo 9. Director house, 2013 (1st picture)
Source: Kolsal, 2013: 93 and its wievs in 2021 as in renovation work 2nd and 3rd Photos: S. Baysan

Among the housing structures on the site, the manager’s house is a structure that
attracts more attention than others. Like others, the building was positioned in the West as
the closest building to the production site. The main structure has 2 floors and offers a view
intertwined with a single-storey building adjacent to this structure. Today this silhouette
is barely pronounced. The “intertwined-stubded structure” of the service building and

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the manager’s house, as Kolsal (2017) points out, in the manager’s house, attracts less
attention today. The second building here was designed as a shelter for service workers
next to the manager’s house. As in the engineer’s house, the balconies of the building
are on the southern facade and overlook the green space, which acts as a “buffer” zone
between the highway and the houses (Kolsal, 2017: 33).

The engineer’s house, which also has a basement, is a single storey building
(Photo 10). The basement had functions of charcoal storage and laundry. The ground
floor consisted of shelter, food and drink and living areas. There were two entrances
in the building where the main entrance was/is on the western facade. The service
entrance is located on the northern facade. The terrace on the southern facade overlooks
the green area as in the other residences.

Photo 10. Engineer house among the accommodation units stayed in Aydın Tekstil area
Source: Kolsal, 2015 2nd and 3rd pictures 2021 the director’s house behind the trees seen at the back of the
engineer house in the 2nd picture Photos: S. Baysan

The number of currently demolished civil servant housing was first increased
from 2 buildings to 3 in 1973. It was designed as 2 apartments with 3 floors each.
In Kolsal’s (2017: 33) statement, the construction of the housings being parallel to
the highway was close to the Aydın-Denizli highway. This was related to the aim of
“promoting modern life and opportunities to the urbanite”. With their three-storey
structure, these buildings were the tallest following the boiler room and were positioned
parallel to other housing structures. Opening a sofa-like hole in the rooms in the
residences is explained by the need to heat the other rooms due to having not a central
heating system but the stove (Üstün, 2011: 47).

Over time, there have been additions to both the production lines and housing
structures of Aydın Tekstil. However, the scale of these has not been aimed at spreading
social rights, especially those brought about by being a private enterprise partnership.
Therefore, although it did not reach the dimensions of statist initiatives implemented
before the 1950s, the factory became one of the means of change for the city. Today,
Aydın Tekstil land attracts attention as an open, wide space thanks to the fact that it
is a protected area among the cultural assets in the relatively developed city; thus,
its land has been the subject of speculation for many years. In 2016, the factory land
was purchased by Aydın Metropolitan Municipality from Tariş; it was designed as a
recreation area, fairground and museum.

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As Kolsal (2017: 35) noted, Aydın Tekstil is one of the “last representatives of
the urban/spatial quality and effective spirit that transforms society, which is balanced
by industrial structures within the scope of Republican period modernization, with its
existential values and reference to pioneering campuses”. Therefore, it is an important
industrial heritage for Aydın with the structures and vegetation cover in its land.

Renovation works

Since 2016, the site, which was nationalised by Aydın Metropolitan Municipality,
was opened as a public green space for a while with the first stage renovation work; then
the public vote was held and asked how this area was to be used. Figure 8, 2nd picture
reflects “you decided we are executing” slogan. As a result of the referendum, Aydın
Tekstil land, was planned to be protected as a green area with its structures. The following
newspaper news reported that “with the arrangements to be made on the 177-acre site
whose project has been approved and tendered by the Monuments Board, areas where
citizens can play sports will be created among the pine trees stretching into the clouds.
Citizens will be offered areas where they can have a picnic in a lush green area with their
families. There will be entertainment areas for all ages on the textile land, where there
will be bike paths and cafes. By preserving the existing factory buildings, Aydın will have
the fairgrounds which eres dreamed of for years. In the same fairgrounds, peasant women
will be allocated space and allowed to sell their products. The project, which is expected
to be completed in 15 months, was tendered for ₺25 million” (Yörükce, 2019).

Figure 8. As of the 1st stage restoration, the use of open areas as a public park
Source: Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyesi, 2020
2nd picture the Board indicating that 177 acres of Aydın Tekstil were planned as a Green Area by the Public
Voting and site plan in the 3rd picture is an excerpt from the 2nd picture
Source: Anonym, 2017

The images in Photo 11, include views taken from the North. The outer masonary
stone walls were rebuilt in accordance with the original. In addition, the buildings are
waiting for their turn to be repaired or refurbished. The gates of the settlement on the
railway side might have been used especially for the entry of raw materials. The roads in
front of each door were forested, and towards the West, olive trees (Olea europaea) and
stone pines (Pinus pinea) stand out as a dense cover, along with redpines (Pinus brutia).

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Photo 11. Images of Production Buildings of Aydın Tekstil Factory Before Renovation from the North Side and
External Walls in the 3rd picture
Source: 1st picture in Yörükce, 2016, other three images are in 2021 by S. Baysan

The weigbridge used to weigh cotton on the railway side was reached by the large gate
seen in Photo 12. Although the weighbrigde seems small it is an important structure that can
contribute to the city’s memory, as the symbolic clock at the main entrance gate. Because, it
is the building proving that Söke cotton was accepted through this structure. The path is also
remarkable for its tree texture as well as the weighbridge (Photo 12). It was stated earlier that
there was nothing significant left of the factory’s machines. Therefore, as a symbol of the flow
of raw materials to the factory, this structure is worth preserving as a reminder and being used
for educational purposes. Again, the restoration of the Boiler Room, one of the registered and
landmarks of the factory, can serve to refresh the city’s identity.

Photo 12. Weighbridge structure of Aydın Tekstil Factory
Source: S. Baysan

The registered buildings on the site were planned with new functions. The
restoration works of Aydın Tekstil Factory and the drawing below show how the main area
would ultimately look like (Photo 13). It should be noted that the connection would be
maintained with the square at the entrance, the administration building and the production
structures seen in the back.

Today, the factory is intended to be protected with its buildings and trees on its
land. The area, is expected to be completed with new uses by the Aydın Metropolitan
Municipality project (Photo 14). Some examples of the new uses are amphitheater, bicycle
and jogging paths, botanical pool, flower, butterfly, bird gardens, child development clubs,
playgrounds, fairground, sightseeing train, cafes and kiosks, skateboard track, concert,
art, exhibition areas (Anonym, 2017).

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Photo 13. Restoration Works of Aydın Tekstil Factory and Drawing Showing its State at the End of Restoration
Source: Uğur, 2020 and Aydın Metropolitan Municipality website

Photo 14. Finished parts of recreational areas, 2021
Source: S. Baysan

Discussion and Conclusions

Industrial heritage sites are complex structures and they are part of our socio-
cultural, spatial and technogical history (Ifko, 2016). Industrial heritage “demands
knowledge, great judgement and real understanding” (cited from Cossansi 2012 in Ifko,
2016: 2041). In order to preserve our memory of industrial heritage we need to tackle the
problem through a spesific multidisiplinary approach, because of the complexity of the
industrial business, namely its structures, organizational characterictics, workforce needs
and its relation with the public. Since a factory is a part of shared collective past, it needs
to be preserved with its cultural and industrial value. Therefore, these values should be
identifed and highlighted clearly, and the areas should not turn into a structure with no
identity, detached from the past.

New uses are usually not considered during factory closures, information about
the institution, the data and the machines are scattered. However, good documentation
of corporate characteristics is required in order to protect industrial heritage properly
and sustain new uses (Niederhagemann, 2011). For this, information aboutthe institution,
materials, usage method, its history, construction characteristics, safety measures,
production, etc. must be revealed. Good documentation better explains the clarity and
value of the institution, but also provides comparability and repeatability in international
standards. Unfortunately, in many institutions, information about identity has already
been lost or ignored (Niederhagemann, 2011).

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This was the case for Aydın Tekstil. In Aydın Tekstil, rather than the imbalance
between profit and loss, political misleadings accelerated the collapse. Then the departures
from, and relocations in the largest shareholder Tariş, where the documents related to
Aydın Tekstil were kept, even made more difficult to access the archive (16.02.2021
interview held at Aydın Tariş Agricultural Cooperative). Therefore, as in other factories
with historical values, specifics about the factory equipment and its archive could not be
found. In short, the lack of institutional history limits the chances to the new uses.

It was the post-1950 liberal economic period for Turkey where there was a desire to
keep up with the new world order in which profitability was prioritised. Therefore, considering
Aydın Tekstil within this framework; it is necessary to see that it has made its mark on its
period; i.e. Aydın Tekstil, which was the largest upholstery, curtain, bed fabric and home textile
industry manufacturer in Turkey and Europe. The factory could produce 30 million meters of
fabric per year, 1200 employees, together with management staff in three shifts, with many
years of experience in the textile sector. Aydın Tekstil, which started its production including
velvet, was an integrated facility with the principle of completing production on time with
finishing lines that could carry out weaving, dyeing and finishing processes (Özçakır, 2014).

For these reasons, the intensive use of signs of the original structure of the factory
can stop urban memory loss. Today, there is a great effort to bring new functions to the site.
However, a successful association could stop this memory loss in the sense of an important
component of urban identity. It can also meet to the public’s recreational needs. As Aydın
Tekstil, the other industrial heritage structures mentioned in the previous sections should
not only be considered as economic sources; but also it is important to consider and bring
the effort to the city in terms of social, cultural and urban identity. In fact, not only tangible,
but also intangible values should be taken into account. Intangible aspects of industrial
heritage (such as the feelings/memories in the minds of people about the factors, traditions,
its effects on the people lives) and work values should not be underestimated.

It is not enough to protect the main line of buildings in such historical heritage sites.
Sufficient information to remind us the historical uses of these structures and arrangements
to exhibit their old uses is needed. Aydın Tekstil has been given new functions by taking
the opinions of the local people. When the project is completed taking into account of
the sustainability of industrial heritage and the protection of urban identity, it will be an
important win and a leading example for the city. The sustainability of urban industrial
heritage should also be taken into account for the monumental structures listed by the Aydın
Cultural Heritage Protection Board; thus new projects should be allowed to be carried
out with an holistic urban planning approach. In these plans, the opinions of architects
and engineers as well as experts from different disciplines such as history, geography, art
history, sociology and anthropology should be valued for new functionalizations.

In addition, many countries have created a new tourism alternative by drawing
industrial heritage routes. With many examples of abroad and İstanbul, there is also some
efforts for İzmir (Karadağ and İncedere, 2020). Although there are not many industrial
heritage sites inAydın, the protection of all the industrial heritage areas (such as Sümerbank

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Nazilli Basma, Söktaş, Söke Cement factories, station buildings and Tariş structures
scattered throughout the city) and the functioning of them in line with the principles of
sustainable industrial heritage can also contribute to the city’s identity. The city may also
gain economic benefits from increased and diversified tourism activities. Aydın Tekstil,
as being close to Aydın Archaeological Museum which preserves diversified historical
and cultural assets, can be another attraction not only for domestic but also for foreign
visitors.

Aydın Tekstil, as a “remnant” (Loures, 2008) of the industry, should be considered as an
integral part of our collective identity. Therefore, the “new meaning” which will be attributed
by its redesigning to the industrial landscape should assembly the past with the future. The site
has its landscape covered with trees, most of which are cone pine, which is a privelege for the
city since the largest green belt of the city is in this area. This characteristic gives the planner
many possibilities to enhance the site in a unique and creative way defining its meaning in the
past converting for the spirit of the site. Again, these kind of industrial heritage structures are
considered as “an asset and as a catalyst for urban redevelopment by being a relevant element
of the genetic code of the city” (Loures, 2008: 690); then it comes “maximising “the benefits
that may arise from its (re)development”. So, as in other industrial heritage sites the notion
behind protecting Aydın Tekstil’s landscape or its spirit, is in its meaning connected with the
collective memory. In order to maintain its uniqueness therefore “the memory” also is to be
protected by bringing it into the collective mind of the urban settlers of Aydın. By bearing in
mind that these kind of heritage sites should be understood by their evolutionary character
which means that they are a part of a living/developing city therefore should be considered
with respecting their lanscape and producing fair benefits for their population (Loures, 2008:
693).

The work to be carried out is important for the sustainability of national and international
industrial heritage. Thus, the area should be used for converting the post-industrial buildings
into an exposition center to maintain the spirit of the place and creating interactive ecological
education center. Therefore, providing an opportunity for environmental education for school
groups and the public as well as its urban park or outdoor performance venue characteristics
will be a good way to revalue the industrial heritage site.

Educational purposes may also be diversified. Examples include the Lengerhane
Building, which was reopened by the Rahmi M. Koç Museum and Culture Foundation as
Turkey’s first industrial museum in İstanbul Golden Horn, and some educational functions
at Hasköy Shipyard (Hasköy Tershanesi) (Köksal, 2012). These kind of activities can also be
performed for Aydın Tekstil. Some examples for educational purposes can be given as What/
How it Works?, Try-and-Learn, history of cotton and textile, social, cultural and economic
characteristics of the period in the world, let’s get to know the trees, plant hunting, and so on.

As a conclusion we hope that the decisions about preservation and reusing it in
new forms will influence positively the city as Walczak (2005) stated “the future will have
of its past”. Thus, the “spirit of the place” is to be sustained with the evolvement of the
city’s character and needs.

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Cumhuriyet Döneminde Türkiye’de İşçi Konutları:
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buildings and sites in Greece can act as a lever for the Arkadaş Yayınevi.
development of special interest/alternative tourism”.
Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 12: 291- Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyesi (2020). Aydın Kent,
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