M + ARCH . MMXIII: UCT MASTERS OF ARCHITECTURE (PROFESSIONAL) 2013

The University of Cape Town's Department of Architecture has a long-standing tradition in which the MASTERS OF ARCHITECTURE (PROFESSIONAL) students take to embarking on a mid-year academic tour outside our local borders. This entails navigating a new urban or rural environment, to further develop and appreciate diverse architectural and social contexts. The tour is geared at being an educational experience that  seeks to inspire the young future architects to explore the potential that design has on the spaces we inhabit.



The M+ARCH class of 2013, made up of 32 ethnically and demographically diverse students, have set their sights on the city of Istanbul as the destination for this year's tour. The city transcends the boundaries between society and architecture. A collision between contemporary and traditional customs results in an amalgamation of cultural hybrids with exciting, yet at times unpredictable opportunities.

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As the cultural and historical nucleus of Turkey, Istanbul offers a wealth of lessons particularly in areas of designing for cultural diversity amid the challenges posed by rapid urbanization; a notion not dissimilar to contemporary South African cities.