For at least two decades major cities in Turkey have been subjected to endless waves of urban
development that has left scores of building demolitions in its wake. The construction waste
produced is immense but its removal or abatement is completely ignored by the state. Who will
deal with all this waste? Enter the reclaimers (çkmacs) an informal network of building
salvagers who have stepped in to create a new form of assemblage that fills this gap. Erdogan
Onur Ceritoglu makes an in-depth ethnographic study of the under-the-radar livelihood of the
reclaimers long-term. He also focuses on incremental architecture through the reuse of
second-hand building elements.
