Saraçoğlu Mahallesi is a historic housing district in central Ankara, Turkey, built as the Republic’s first large-scale public housing project. Designed by German architect Paul Bonatz, the neighborhood was completed in 1946 and originally provided homes for civil servants and other state employees. 34
The current renewal initiative, known as the Saraçoğlu Protection, Renewal and Revitalization Project, began in 2020 under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, with Emlak Konut REIC (Emlak Konut GYO) responsible for carrying it out. 24 The project’s stated scope included restoring the historic buildings and renewing infrastructure, while introducing housing, offices, shops, hotel accommodation and public green space. 67
The work has been contested. Mimarlar Odası Ankara Branch argued that the renewal process threatened the district’s heritage and challenged planning and restoration decisions in court. It also raised a copyright objection, saying permission had not been obtained from Bonatz’s heirs for changes to his work. 411 The project was later reported as completed, with 44 registered buildings restored and 119 homes, 172 offices, 112 shops and a 159-room hotel among the completed facilities. 7