Planning social housing in 1960s Türkiye: policies, institutions, and projects

Abstract

This article focuses on Türkiye in the 1960s because the process that beganwith the new constitution following the 1960 military coup constituted aturning point in Türkiye history, economic, political, social, and cultural. Theconcept of social housing also came to the fore for the first time duringthese years. This article examines the emergence and conceptualization ofsocial housing in 1960s Türkiye from a planning perspective. It situates thedevelopment of social housing within the broader framework of welfarestate policies and state-led planning practices shaped by the 1961Constitution and the Five-Year Development Plans. Particular attention isgiven to the role of the Real Estate Credit Bank as a key state institution infinancing and implementing housing schemes. Through an analysis ofselected housing projects, the article demonstrates how social housingpolicies were translated into architectural and spatial practices, and howthese projects reflected ownership-based models distinct from the rental-oriented systems common in Western Europe. By connecting policies,institutions, and projects, the study highlights the significance of the 1960sas a formative period in Türkiye’s housing history, when the planning ofsocial housing became closely intertwined with the construction of thewelfare state.