Aydın Tiryaki (2026)
There is a familiar signboard we encounter at every step in our cities: “We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the surroundings.”
For us—the residents living on that street—this sentence is no longer read as an expression of courtesy, but as the declaration of an impending, long-term siege. Often, we smile bitterly at this sign. Because we know that this “apology” is nothing more than the price paid in advance for the dust, mud, usurped sidewalks, and occupied streets that we will endure for months, or even years.
Urban transformation is a necessity, yes. Renewing buildings and ensuring earthquake safety is vital. However, the management style of this process has completely detached from engineering ethics and urban consciousness. Instead of a “construction process,” we are facing a profit-oriented, unsupervised “construction brutality” that disregards its environment.
The Danger Before Demolition: The “Stripping” Phase
Even before the heavy machinery arrives, the danger begins with the “stripping” phase. While the building’s doors, windows, and roof are being dismantled, the sidewalk should normally be completely closed to pedestrian traffic, and protective tunnels should be installed. Because a piece thrown from above can bounce and harm someone passing by.
However, contractors do not feel the need to close the sidewalk at this stage since heavy machinery is not yet operating and they do not need the road for themselves. Because installing debris chutes is seen as costly, materials are thrown down from windows amidst shouts of “Watch out!” Safety is left entirely to the mercy of the passing citizen’s attention—in other words, to “passive safety.”
The Mathematics of Demolition: Water, Dust, and Logistics Weight
The massive dust cloud covering the neighborhood during demolition is not fate. They say, “We are spraying water to prevent dust,” but that water is usually sprayed “pro forma” (just for show). Because there is an insidious cost calculation behind it: When debris gets wet, it gets heavier. Since trucks operate by tonnage, carrying wet (heavy) debris means more trips and more fuel. Furthermore, excessive water turns the construction site into sludge, creating wheel-cleaning costs. Therefore, the public inhaling dust is deemed less important than the contractor’s trucking costs.
A similar choice exists regarding noise. Instead of “hydraulic crusher/shear” technology that crushes concrete silently, very noisy and vibrating “impact breakers” are preferred. Because the breaker is cheaper and finishes the job faster; the noise pollution it causes to the environment is not included in the cost ledger.
The “I Paid, I Can Use It” Mentality and Stockpiling
At the root of the problem lies the contractor’s view of the street and sidewalk as a free extension of the construction site. The nominal figures paid to the municipality as “occupation fees” create a right in the contractor’s eyes to destroy public space as they please.
There may be logistical necessities during the initial excavation and foundation stages. However, even when the building rises and the rough construction is finished—creating hundreds of square meters of empty space inside—iron bars, bricks, and sand piles continue to sit on the sidewalk. There are two reasons for this:
- Vertical Logistics Laziness: Moving materials inside the building (crane and labor) is a cost. However, piling them on the street is free.
- Inflationary Stockpiling: They buy much more iron or brick than they currently need, fearing prices will rise, and pile them on the street early.
Even when the job is done, leftover scrap metal is not removed. Calling a truck just to pick up that iron (reverse logistics) is seen as expensive. With the logic of “Another truck will come eventually, we’ll load it then,” public space remains under the occupation of rusty iron for months.
The “Waiting” Process, The Sea of Mud, and Old Doors
The process does not end with the demolition of the building. The “grey period” between the post-demolition phase and the start of new construction (due to permit approvals, project waiting times, etc.) sometimes takes up to a year. During this time, the sidewalk remains shattered and covered in mud.
The contractor does not clean that mud, saying, “It will get ruined again when construction starts anyway,” and does not even deign to pour temporary rough concrete (lean concrete) over it. Yet, that one year is a long time spent in torment for an elderly neighbor walking on that street or a child going to school.
This abandonment triggers the “Broken Windows Theory.” The neighborhood begins to see that unattended pit as a “dump” and a “revenge area”; they throw their old furniture and rubble there.
The enclosing (hoarding) of these areas is a separate tragedy. While construction sites on main avenues are covered with stylish visuals like “billboards,” in backstreets, old interior doors from the demolished building are nailed together to build a makeshift wall. These doors, covered in rusty nails and in danger of falling over in the wind, become the clearest indicator of the value (or lack thereof) given to the residents.
The Domino Effect: A 10-Year Tunnel
If the problem were limited to a single building, it might be manageable. However, due to “parcel-based” transformation, adjacent buildings on a street are demolished at different times. As one finishes, another begins. Thus, that street turns into an unending construction tunnel, an industrial zone for 10-15 years. Infrastructure collapses, roads burst, and the street ceases to be “livable.”
The “Last Minute” Cleanup as a Sales Showcase
When the building is finally finished and the apartments are up for sale; only then is that sidewalk, which has been a sea of mud for 2-3 years, suddenly paved with beautiful paving stones. Lighting is installed, trees are planted.
This sudden attack of “civilization” stems not from respect for the residents, but entirely from a customer-oriented “showcase effort.” The contractor does not want the customer’s shoes to get dirty. However, the torment inflicted on the neighbors until that apartment is sold is seen as a natural part of the business. This last-minute makeup, applied to obtain the occupancy permit, ends with the municipality forgiving the past by saying, “Well, you did it in the end.”
The Municipality’s Responsibility and the Solution: “Dynamic Signage”
Expecting the contractor to behave “ethically” in this problem would be naive. A commercial enterprise thinks of its profit. Here, the primary fault lies 100% with the municipalities.
Municipalities must stop viewing the contractor as a “customer” or a “source of income.” Inspections should be conducted not only during working hours (09:00-17:00) but also in the evenings when concrete is poured or on weekends. The solution is not token monetary fines; because those fines remain a drop in the ocean within the construction budget. The solution is the “Work Stoppage” (Sealing) sanction.
Our proposal is this: Construction signboards must turn into a “public commitment.” That signboard should not only list the license number but also the schedule and rules of the process: “The sidewalk in front of this construction will remain closed only between 01.01.2026 and 01.03.2026. After this date, it will be opened to pedestrian use. It is forbidden to place materials on the street when there is space inside the construction site.”
When a citizen looks at the sign and sees that the date has passed, they should know there is a violation. The municipality must seal the construction and stop the work of the contractor who does not clean and open the sidewalk on the committed date. The only language the contractor will understand is not a monetary fine, but the loss of time.
In conclusion; while urban transformation renews buildings, it should not rot our urban consciousness and quality of life. The only way for that “We apologize” sign to be sincere is for the rules to operate according to the rights of the citizen, not the profit of the contractor.
A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)
Aydın Tiryaki 