Guest edited by Beatrice Galilee and Tom Keeley the fifth issue of the New City Reader titled “Mektuplar/Letters” features stories and letters by 18 world-renowned figures such as the author Orhan Pamuk, author Joseph Kannon, architectural historian Charles Jencks, curator, critic and art historian Hans Ulrich Obrist and architect Alejandro Zaero-Polo, depicting Istanbul from various different perspectives.

World-renowned author Orhan Pamuk, in his article titled “When the Bosphorus Dries Up” shares a futuristic scenario for Istanbul. Author Joseph Kannon’s letter, compares contemporary Istanbul to the Istanbul of 1945. Architectural historian Charles Jencks questions the implications of urbanization in a city like Istanbul which is home to structures that are thousands of years old. Curator, critic and art historian Hans Ulrich Obrist quotes verses by author and poet Edouard Glissant to declare that the future is, in fact, Istanbul. Architect Alejandro Zaero-Polo touches upon the past and the future of Hagia Sophia in a a letter addressed to Isidore of Miletus, the architect of the Museum of Hagia Sophia.

Read the rest of the article for the full list of issue contributers and NCR locations.

Orhan Pamuk (İstanbul)
Hans Ulrich Obrist (London)
Shumon Basar (London)
Seyla Benhabib (Connecticut)
Merve Kaptan (İstanbul)
Joseph Kanon (Pennsylvania)
Haluk Gerçek (İstanbul)
Alejandro Zaera-Polo (Madrid)
Charles Jencks (London)
Daan Roggeveen (Shangai)
David Kohn (London)
Füsun Türetken (Berlin)
Superpool (İstanbul)
Tom Dyckhoff (London)
Mimi Zeiger (Los Angeles)
Indy Johar (London)
Nazlı Gönensay (İstanbul)
Gözde Severoğlu (İstanbul)

New City Reader is hung inside the premises of Bilgi University’s Communications Faculty, Doğuş University’s Art and Design Faculty, Aydın University’s Fine Arts Faculty, Maltepe University’s Architecture and Fine Arts Faculties, Kadir Has University’s Fine Arts Faculty, Mimar Sinan University’s Fine Arts Faculty, Işık University’s Fine Arts Faculty, Yıldız Technical University’s Architecture and Communication Faculties, Istanbul Technical University’s Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Marmara University’s Fine Arts Faculty, Urban Café, DEPO / Tütün Deposu, ODA Kule, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), Istanbul Modern Library, Salt Galata, Salt Beyoğlu, French Cultural Center, Istanbul Fashion Academy, and the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB)’s Chamber of Architects, Gezi Park, Kamondo Stairs and the walls of Asmalı Mescit as well as being distributed as a folded newspaper in various other spots throughout the city. Scheduled to be published in 16 issues, the content of the newspaper is also available at the Istanbul Design Biennial’s website.