In the past, when factories still played their industrial roles, they could be divided into two categories: one group serving for the state, the other one serving for the city and citizens. As it is mentioned above, early constructions were mainly owned and utilized by the state. The Golden Horn Shipyards, Lengerhane, and Feshane were established to serve the navy. Industrialization showed its influence on this ancient empire by changing national affairs which were decided by the ruling class.

 

Feshane was a symbol showing the spread of industrialization to the city. It took textile production, which was a necessary for both military and citizens, as the representation of Empire’s productivity and advancement in International Exhibitions from the 1850s to the 1890s. After that, industrial strength of the empire was no longer restricted in the ruling class, but had to be illustrated with urban and social development.

 

Therefore, from the late 19th century, various factories were established in Istanbul, which had tight relationship with people’s daily life. Şahbaz Agiya Mahdumlari Brick Factory, Kasimpasa Flour Factory, and Sütlüce Slaughterhouse offered daily necessaries. Silahtarağa Power Station demonstrated the influence of modernization by the introduction of infrastructure into the city. Cibali Tobacco and Cigarette Factory, owned by French when it was established, was the result of international trade and communication.

 

Furthermore, there were complex ownership transfers since the establishment of factories. Some were transferred from foreign company to state-owned company (Cibali Tobacco and Cigarette Factory, Silahtarağa Power Station), some were privatized (Feshane, Hasköy Shipyard), showing the disappearing boundary of the state and individuals, which might be a result of liberal economy. Besides, when it came to the 1980s, these factories, which have become “heritages”, were transferred to the state or individuals with the meaning of “culture”, the concept given by the state in order to revive these abandoned buildings in the post-industrialization period.

 

Thus, currently factories start to play a cultural role, with decay of original functions. A cooperation among the state, private companies and foreign companies is held to support this new function. Most of them are reconstructed for public events, especially for “cultural events” mainly presenting an international image of the city and the state. While it is actually not simple to achieve “public” purpose. The industrial area along the Golden Horn acted as an invading force at the beginning, whose city texture was different from that of residential areas. Currently both industrial and residential areas inherit city texture from the past, leaving boundaries between them. Thus, factories have to change their roles, trying to integrate into the public in the transforming social background. In addition to a cultural representation to the world, they also become a part of citizens’ daily life – in other words, they have to fit the modern city.