Place identity has become an important consideration in urban design and planning regarding urban aesthetics and sustainability. Urbanization brought on by intercity competitiveness has resulted in a loss of identity and beauty in cities worldwide. In Turkey, Architectural Aesthetics Commissions are one of the important organizations established within municipalities to protect this identity. The Architectural Aesthetics Commission renders decisions about the city's local architecture, offers recommendations for procedures about squares, roads, pavements, signboards, urban furniture, and similar arrangements, and assesses whether the buildings and approved architectural projects convey unique concepts or diverge because of the nature and functions of public building decision-making boards. However, there has been disagreement on how they operate, their guiding principles, and the effectiveness of their objectives. In addition to the fact that the research results vary on a district basis, they mostly reflect personal decisions rather than urban identity. This research aims to reveal these commissions’ purpose, functioning, and effects on urban aesthetics and identity through case studies.