TURKEY LOVES ITS CATS -- 3

THE KEDI OF BURSA'S COVERED MARKET DISTRICT

This black kitten staked out a safe and cool place to nap next to the bustling market shops.

Bursa is nicknamed "Yeşil Bursa" (Green Bursa), owing to its many parks and trees, as well as its dramatic mountain backdrop. 

TURKEY LOVES ITS CATS -- 2

THE KEDI OF BURSA'S COVERED MARKET DISTRICT

Cats line up at 7 p.m. closing time of the markets, hoping shopkeepers have some snacks for them before they head home.

Bursa is known for its mosques and historical sites from the early Ottoman Empire. 

TURKEY LOVES ITS CATS -- 1

THE KEDI OF BURSA'S COVERED MARKET DISTRICT

This sweetheart took up residence on a stool outside of a watchmaker's shop.

Bursa is a large city in northwest Turkey, lying in the foothills of roughly 2,500m-high Mount Uludağ near the Sea of Marmara.

JUAN MULLERAT PRESENTS COMPLETE DISTRICTS CONCEPT TO

SOUTH FLORIDA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

PlusUrbia’s Juan Mullerat presented “Complete Districts – a New Placemaking Practice” to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority’s Planning Technical Advisory Committee. SFRTA is the agency that operates Tri-Rail.

The concept focuses on a network of clean, safe, but unique streets that together create a Complete District. Simply put, cities are a balance between public and private land, entities, enterprises and services. This balance is symbiotic where all elements are part of a system and they depend on each other to function. It is only when all are well-tuned and calibrated that they make great places.

The concept of Complete Districts creates this balanced equation by taking a holistic approach that couples the public with the private realms. It was conceived and formulated by PlusUrbia Design’s team while working through workshops and design exercises for a number of Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) and award-winning District Revitalization projects that created compact, mixed-use, vibrant districts.

For more information on Complete Districts, please visit:

http://plusurbia.com/project/complete-districts/

ARA GÜLER - 5

KAFE ARA

From Lonely Planet:

This casual cafe occupies a converted garage in a lane opposite the Galatasaray Lycée and is named after legendary local photographer Ara Guler, whose photographs of the city adorn the walls. 

It serves an array of well-priced salads, sandwiches and Turkish comfort food. 

Enjoying Sunday brunch (₺35) at one of the lane tables is particularly pleasant. 

No alcohol.

http://www.araguler.com.tr/

ARA GÜLER -- 4

THE EYE OF ISTANBUL: Documentary Film

THE EYE OF ISTANBUL tells the story of Ara Guler, the legendary Armenian-Turkish photographer, through the culmination of his retrospective exhibition in Istanbul.

The documentary follows a non-linear narrative, which explores the artistic process and impulses of this great master.

Ara’s curiosity, resourcefulness and fearlessness are revealed through a series of stories in the film.

At 87 years old, Ara is a complex and unforgettable character; he is still sharp, irreverent, funny and philosophical.

Although he is mostly recognized for his black and white photographs of Istanbul, he has enjoyed an international career, which has spanned over sixty years and has generated more than 1 million photographs.

A student and a follower of Henri-Cartier Bresson, Ara’s mastery lies in capturing the stories and interactions among people at the right moment in history.

http://www.eyeofistanbul.com/

ARA GÜLER -- 3

PHOTOJOURNALIST

Though I have seen him quoted as saying he's not a photojournalist or artist -- he's an historian with a camera -- Ara Guler is arguably the greatest photojournalist of the 20th century.

And he continue to document his beloved Istanbul, well into the 21st century, well into his 80s.

When I found out there's a book on him, I couldn't want to order it.

Amazon screwed up the first delivery. Hoping the second order arrives before the weekend.

Here's a mini blurb on the book:

Photojournalist, a book by Nezih Tavlas, provides a compelling and in-depth look into the life of Ara Guler who is regarded as one of the most accomplished documentary photographers of the 20th century and the pioneer of photojournalism in Turkey.

http://photojournalistaraguler.com/