Renovating in Yeşilköy: Home Renewal in a Historic Seaside-Town Setting (2026)
Yeşilköy is an Istanbul district that still carries the feel of an old seaside town. Renovating its older buildings means keeping that character while making them safe and comfortable.
2026-09-25 · 5 min read
Photo: Mehmet Ali Tunçer / Pexels
On the Marmara coast, with its older houses and gardens, quiet streets and seaside-town air, Yeşilköy is one of Istanbul's most distinctive districts. Older detached houses, small apartment buildings and newer blocks all sit together here. When planning work on an older building, two questions need asking together: what about this building is worth keeping — and how will it meet today's expectations of safety and comfort?
Structural assessment first in an older building
Before a major renovation in a building that went up many years ago, you need to understand the condition of its structural system. That assessment shows whether decisions like removing a wall or moving a bathroom or kitchen are safe, and whether the building needs strengthening in its own right. Depending on the result, the renovation either goes ahead directly or starts with structural work.
Keeping the seaside-town character
What makes Yeşilköy's older houses valuable are elements like timber details, garden walls and original door and window proportions. Repairing these rather than stripping them out preserves the home's character — and often its value. If the building has heritage status, any work affecting its exterior is checked for the required approvals first.
Damp in old walls: breathable solutions
Damp is very common in old masonry walls near the sea. Applying modern, non-breathable plasters and paints to them can trap moisture inside and make things worse. The right approach is to find the source of the damp first, then work with plaster and paint systems that let the wall breathe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I remove a wall in my older house?
- Whether the wall is load-bearing, and the building's overall condition, are confirmed by a structural assessment — no wall comes down before that. In older masonry buildings this check matters even more.
- Might the building need strengthening as part of the renovation?
- It depends on the assessment. If strengthening is needed, planning it before or alongside the renovation is the most efficient route.
- Should old timber details be replaced with new ones?
- Where condition allows, repair is always our first choice; fully rotten pieces are remade faithfully to the original.
Planning a renovation?
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