Middle East Technical University
Conservation of Cultural Heritage
While a number of fortifications have been attributed to the Genoese in Anatolia, the Walls of Galata are the only fortifications built entirely by them. Although the term "Genoese castle" is commonly used for most of these fortresses,... more
While a number of fortifications have been attributed to the Genoese in Anatolia, the Walls of Galata are the only fortifications built entirely by them. Although the term "Genoese castle" is commonly used for most of these fortresses, even those without any trace of Genoese history, what is meant by "Genoese" architecture has not yet been fully identified or defined. This article investigates medieval building techniques and masonry traditions that the Genoese might have employed in their architectural practice. For this purpose, a comprehensive inventory of the surviving parts of the Walls of Galata to date has been created, and the building techniques of the surviving sections are investigated in detail. These techniques are analyzed through a comparison of other buildings in Galata and Genoa built by the Genoese and the Palaiologan buildings in Constantinople/Istanbul. Next, other "Genoese" fortresses in Anatolia and eastern Thrace and their building techniques and materials are similarly evaluated in the late Byzantine context. This research reveals that the Genoese essentially (re)used available building materials, adopting the building techniques and masonry traditions of the Palaiologan architecture in association with a collaboration with Byzantine masons. It concludes that the Genoese most likely introduced the use of pointed arches to Byzantine masons in Constantinople, and that the Walls of Galata are one of the earliest monuments in Istanbul where pointed arches were used.
ICOMOS. 1964. International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of the Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter). Venice. ICOMOS. 1987. Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (Washington Charter).... more
ICOMOS. 1964. International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of the Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter). Venice. ICOMOS. 1987. Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (Washington Charter). Washington D.C. UNESCO. 2011. Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. Paris.
ICOMOS. 1964. International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of the Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter). Venice. ICOMOS. 1987. Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (Washington Charter).... more
ICOMOS. 1964. International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of the Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter). Venice. ICOMOS. 1987. Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (Washington Charter). Washington D.C. UNESCO. 2011. Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. Paris.
- by Selin Sur
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Silos of the Turkish Grain Board are monumental grain storage structures that appear as the architectural symbols of the modern period rural production. Located inTurkey's many settlements, they constitute the network of agricultural... more
Silos of the Turkish Grain Board are monumental grain storage structures that appear as the architectural symbols of the modern period rural production. Located inTurkey's many settlements, they constitute the network of agricultural industry and storage all over the country. Starting from their rapid construction by the government during the Republican Period, these structures had helped the economic growth and modernization of the new state in terms of agricultural production and societal development. However, in today’s context, many silos worldwide have started to lose their original functions due to changes in their physical and functional contexts as well as the changes in grain storage technologies. Therefore, silos are under the threat of privatization, abandonment, or demolishment, including the
Güvercinlik Silo, located in a dense urban center of Ankara. This thesis aims at revealing the values and significance of the Ankara Güvercinlik Silo in consideration of its context and rural network of the Turkish Grain Board. At the same time, it seeks to develop principles and strategies for the future to conserve and sustain the structure through scenarios developed for both its original use and adaptive reuse, as it acknowledges the place as a rural and industrial heritage site.
Güvercinlik Silo, located in a dense urban center of Ankara. This thesis aims at revealing the values and significance of the Ankara Güvercinlik Silo in consideration of its context and rural network of the Turkish Grain Board. At the same time, it seeks to develop principles and strategies for the future to conserve and sustain the structure through scenarios developed for both its original use and adaptive reuse, as it acknowledges the place as a rural and industrial heritage site.
Conservation of cultural heritage is a 'value' based process. The concept of 'value' has been discussed in the field of conservation since the early 20th century and various value typologies ranging from socio-cultural to economic values... more
Conservation of cultural heritage is a 'value' based process. The concept of 'value' has been discussed in the field of conservation since the early 20th century and various value typologies ranging from socio-cultural to economic values are defined by different scholars since then. However, 'value' is a relatively subjective issue that change according to time, society and place. Today, in most of the cases, economic value of cultural heritage dominates its sociocultural values as a result of the increasing importance assigned to economic benefit. For this reason, heritage places become subject to for-profit interventions through urban transformation and regeneration projects. These projects may lead to demolitions and destructions of social and cultural values of cultural heritage due to emphasize on economic values. In Turkey, heritage buildings and sites are subject to laws for their conservation, limiting the future interventions. In order to overcome these 'legal obstacles', a new policy instrument is configured: the " renewal law ". The aim of this law is defined as economically valorizing deteriorated immovable heritage properties. According to renewal law, heritage properties are valorized from an economic perspective through a renovation process that entails the maintaining and conserving. This law has triggered conflicts in terms of conservation of cultural heritage This is because, " renewal projects " lead to the creation of areas with potentially high rents in historic areas and the conservation of cultural heritage is neglected in order to gain economic benefit. Thus, in the case of " renewal projects " , the tension between sociocultural and economic value definitions is evident. The PhD thesis will first analyze laws on urban regeneration in Turkey, second consider the different values that conservationists and economists recognize and third apply that mindset to investigate the case studies. For this reason, this dissertation will triangulate different information from different disciplines as cultural heritage conservation, urban policy and cultural economics. Hence, for the Young Researchers Workshop in ACEI 2016, I would like to discuss the different types of values involved in the selected " renewal projects " in Turkey which are (being) implemented in three major cities of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. The presentation in Young Researcher Workshop aims to discuss the methodology for the assessment of sociocultural and economic values in renewal areas before and after the implementation of renewal projects and how these different values are transformed after the implementation.
The interpretation of cultural heritage is often influenced by politics and ideology. Depending on prevailing ideology, ways of intervening on cultural heritage places can change. Today, in Turkey heritage places are subject to... more
The interpretation of cultural heritage is often influenced by politics and ideology. Depending on prevailing ideology, ways of intervening on cultural heritage places can change. Today, in Turkey heritage places are subject to interventions through urban transformation projects. These interventions may lead to changes, even destructions of socio-cultural values due to the emphasis on political, economic, ideological and religious motivations of decision makers.
“Hacı Bayram District” in Ankara is representative case that demonstrates the impact of politics and ideology on the changing values of heritage places.
The district has unique values due to the co-existence of the Hacı Bayram Mosque and the Augustus Temple. “Hacı Bayram Square Urban Design Project” was implemented in 2012 and values of heritage site were drastically transformed. The aim of this paper is to discuss transformation and possible misrepresentation of existing values in urban design project and changes in values following the implementation of projects.
Keywords: values of cultural heritage, politics and ideology, value changes, urban renewal
“Hacı Bayram District” in Ankara is representative case that demonstrates the impact of politics and ideology on the changing values of heritage places.
The district has unique values due to the co-existence of the Hacı Bayram Mosque and the Augustus Temple. “Hacı Bayram Square Urban Design Project” was implemented in 2012 and values of heritage site were drastically transformed. The aim of this paper is to discuss transformation and possible misrepresentation of existing values in urban design project and changes in values following the implementation of projects.
Keywords: values of cultural heritage, politics and ideology, value changes, urban renewal
The main subject of the thesis is “interpretation” and “presentation” of cultural and natural heritage sites which is an important phenomenon providing sustainability and protection of the heritage sites. Interpretation and conservation... more
The main subject of the thesis is “interpretation” and “presentation” of cultural and natural heritage sites which is an important phenomenon providing sustainability and protection of the heritage sites. Interpretation and conservation are tightly associated to each other. Individuals will learn more about the heritage site by the help of interpretation and as a result of understanding; they will have an intention to protect the historic site more; and protection will ensure continuity of the site. Interpretation and presentation of heritage sites is put into the words in Turkish Legislation by the definition of “Environmental Design Project” in `Amendment Act No. 5226 Concerning to Revision of Legislation Called as Law Concerning to Conservation of Natural and Cultural Entities` in 2004. In the legislation, it is stated that Environmental Design Projects which propose strategies for effective presentation, control visitor use, provide promotion and advertisement, solve problems emerged as a result of current use and circulation and answer the needs of historic sites by contemporary tools and methods must be prepared for each heritage site in Turkey. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to define principles for effective interpretation and presentation on the selected case according to analysis and evaluations and then propose brand new comprehensive and complementary Environmental Design Project. The case selected in the thesis for the proposition of Environmental Design Project is Göreme Open Air Museum – GOAM in Cappadocia which is Turkey’s third most visited open air museum after Ephesus in İzmir and Hierapolis in Denizli. The two main reasons for the selection of GOAM are absence of comprehensive and complementary Environmental Design Project in GOAM and insufficiency of current interpretive facilities and visitor services presented in the museum as indicated in the decisions of Nevşehir Regional Council for Conservation of Cultural Entities. Focusing on the aim, thesis is structured in three parts which are interconnected to each other as the theoretical background of the interpretation and presentation in the world and in Turkish legislations, analysis and evaluation of the selected case and finally preliminary decisions and project proposal. To conclude, “Environmental Design Project” is an important tool for understanding the significance of the museum and providing easygoing and enjoyable visit for the museum visitors according to the values, problems and potentials of GOAM. In that respect, proposing environmental design project is critical in order to satisfy visitor needs during their museum visit and provide safeguarding of GOAM.
Conservation of cultural heritage is a 'value' based process. Since the early 20 th century, scholars in the conservation field have been aware of the coexistence of different values ranging from socio-cultural to economic values. The... more
Conservation of cultural heritage is a 'value' based process. Since the early 20 th century, scholars in the conservation field have been aware of the coexistence of different values ranging from socio-cultural to economic values. The same awareness has characterized the cultural economics analysis of cultural heritage conservation. Both approaches emphasis " the subjective nature of 'values' that change according to time, society and place. Today it is a fact that, often, economic values of cultural heritage dominate the sociocultural values because of the increasing focus on economic benefits and development of neoliberal economic policies. Consequently, heritage places, which are the integral part of the built environment, are the object of for-profit interventions through urban transformation and regeneration projects that may, often, lead to demolitions and destructions of the social and cultural values of cultural heritage. Reflections of the neoliberal policy shift are also evident in Turkey. For central and local authorities, the 'reconsideration' and 'use' of heritage places in order to gain economic benefit has become a prevailing concern. Heritage places are subject to laws and regulations for their conservation and sustainability, controlling and limiting new interventions. In order to overcome these 'conservation obstacles' and allow for-profit interventions on heritage places through 'regeneration' and 'urban transformation' projects, planned and financed by national and international investors, the configuration of new legal rules and policy instruments is necessary. Accordingly, a new law on " Preservation by Renovation and Utilization by Revitalization of Deteriorated Immovable Historical and Cultural Properties (Act. No. 5366) " was introduced in 2005, for the preparation and implementation of urban regeneration and conservation projects in cultural and natural heritage sites. The aim of this law is defined as valorizing timeworn historical and cultural heritage properties through 'renewal projects' of maintenance and conservation prepared outside the approved conservation master plans. This law can be considered as a breaking point in the conservation of cultural heritage in Turkey, as it triggered conflicts in terms of preservation of cultural heritage when the interventions under this law are taken into account. In fact, the aim of this law is described as the preservation of cultural heritage, however, many 'renewal projects' propose mixed-use developments where expropriation by the central as well as local authorities leads to the displacement of local residents to get higher rents. This paper aims to discuss the approach of central and local authorities in terms of conservation of cultural heritage and the effects/results of this new policy instrument referring to examples from İstanbul. The paper will first illustrate the context characterizing the implementation of these new rules. Then, it will focus on two renewal areas where projects are being implemented: Tarlabaşı and Sulukule Renewal Areas. The paper will compare the situation of the sites before and after the 'renewal project' considering the various values involved and the way they were affected. The aim of the paper is to see if heritage places are (ab)used by decision makers in Turkey in order to gain maximum economic benefit neglecting the conservation of cultural heritage.
In recent years, cultural heritage in Turkey has been subject to various forms of interventions for its regeneration. While regulations for intervening in registered heritage places are considerably strict in Turkey, these interventions... more
In recent years, cultural heritage in Turkey has been subject to various forms of interventions for its regeneration. While regulations for intervening in registered heritage places are considerably strict in Turkey, these interventions are realized under the Renewal Law. Renewal Law specifically enacted in 2005 for the regeneration of registered heritage places and the aim of the law is defined as valorizing and preserving timeworn heritage places, through ‘renewal projects’. Renewal law develops “new standards” for urban regeneration to overcome existing strict regulations by giving extensive rights to local authorities, for instance expropriation, which may result in the demolishment of heritage buildings and the displacement of local residents.
In Konak/İzmir, a central heritage place with residential, commercial, administrative and religious buildings, Izmir Municipality develops an alternative approach to renewal law with History İzmir Project. In the project, a bottom-up approach has been adopted and holistic strategies have been developed considering both the values of the heritage place and needs of residents, who are mostly immigrants from eastern cities of Turkey and Syria. The paper aims to explain the approach of the History İzmir Project, which aims to preserve the tangible and intangible values of the heritage place.
In Konak/İzmir, a central heritage place with residential, commercial, administrative and religious buildings, Izmir Municipality develops an alternative approach to renewal law with History İzmir Project. In the project, a bottom-up approach has been adopted and holistic strategies have been developed considering both the values of the heritage place and needs of residents, who are mostly immigrants from eastern cities of Turkey and Syria. The paper aims to explain the approach of the History İzmir Project, which aims to preserve the tangible and intangible values of the heritage place.
In recent years, cultural heritage in Turkey has been subject to various forms of renewal interventions. These interventions are realized through a law (Act No. 5366, Renewal Law) specifically developed for the renewal of registered... more
In recent years, cultural heritage in Turkey has been subject to various forms of renewal interventions. These interventions are realized through a law (Act No. 5366, Renewal Law) specifically developed for the renewal of registered heritage places. The aim of the law is defined as valorizing and preserving timeworn heritage places, through ‘renewal projects’. While the aim of the Renewal Law is described as preservation, many projects based on this law propose mixed-use developments by expropriating heritage places, displacing local residents and changing their tangible and intangible features.
Tarlabaşı in İstanbul, a heritage place at the core of İstanbul, is one of the concrete examples of this renewal approach. Tarlabaşı was inhabited by different social groups which are generally considered as “problematic” such as urban poor, immigrants and sex workers. In order to achieve the renewal objectives of the local authority (decision maker in the public sphere) and investors (decision maker in the market sphere), many of the buildings were expropriated and destroyed while people living in the area were displaced. Consequently, the rent value of Tarlabaşı has dramatically increased, while socio-cultural values are almost totally lost.
The “Renewal Law” has been applied in a completely different manner in Konak, a central heritage place with residential, commercial, administrative and religious buildings in İzmir. The social structure of the area is also diverse consisting mostly of immigrants from eastern cities of Turkey and Syria. In the renewal project, a bottom-up approach has been adopted and holistic/inclusive strategies have been developed considering both residents’ needs and the values of heritage place.
The aim of the paper is to discuss two opposite renewal approaches using the same legal tool by referring to these two renewal projects. The paper compares these approaches and critically assesses the effects of renewal projects on the preservation of the tangible and intangible values of heritage places.
Key words: urban renewal, inclusiveness vs. exclusiveness, participation, sustainability
Tarlabaşı in İstanbul, a heritage place at the core of İstanbul, is one of the concrete examples of this renewal approach. Tarlabaşı was inhabited by different social groups which are generally considered as “problematic” such as urban poor, immigrants and sex workers. In order to achieve the renewal objectives of the local authority (decision maker in the public sphere) and investors (decision maker in the market sphere), many of the buildings were expropriated and destroyed while people living in the area were displaced. Consequently, the rent value of Tarlabaşı has dramatically increased, while socio-cultural values are almost totally lost.
The “Renewal Law” has been applied in a completely different manner in Konak, a central heritage place with residential, commercial, administrative and religious buildings in İzmir. The social structure of the area is also diverse consisting mostly of immigrants from eastern cities of Turkey and Syria. In the renewal project, a bottom-up approach has been adopted and holistic/inclusive strategies have been developed considering both residents’ needs and the values of heritage place.
The aim of the paper is to discuss two opposite renewal approaches using the same legal tool by referring to these two renewal projects. The paper compares these approaches and critically assesses the effects of renewal projects on the preservation of the tangible and intangible values of heritage places.
Key words: urban renewal, inclusiveness vs. exclusiveness, participation, sustainability
Cultural heritage places embody socio-cultural and economic values and as a result of which, heritage places become the subject of renewal interventions. It is evident that every renewal intervention is alteration to its values, then... more
Cultural heritage places embody socio-cultural and economic values and as a result of which, heritage places become the subject of renewal interventions. It is evident that every renewal intervention is alteration to its values, then interventions will change the values that heritage places involve. Of course, economic values, i.e. the rent value of heritage corresponding to the real estate value, will also be affected by the renewal interventions. This " cause and effect " relationship between the renewal and the consequent changes in real estate values has raised an interest in heritage, both from the conservation and the economic point of view. Investigating this relationship in close-up, this study aims to illustrate the changing of real estate values of heritage places after the urban renewal projects by comparing two renewal projects from two metropolitan cities of Turkey: Tarlabaşı (İstanbul) and Konak (İzmir). The significance of these projects originates from the opposing renewal strategies in terms of approaching to real estate values and the existing ownership. Tarlabası was built in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries as a primarily middle-income, non-Muslim neighborhood. At the time being, the area lost its original population, then it became a dilapidated area. Due to the decrease in rent, the buildings became an attractive housing area for rural migrants with low-income. The renewal project in Tarlabaşı – entitled Taksim 360 – aims at constructing a brand new luxurious mixed-use complex to provide " economic benefit " for private investor by displacing inhabitants from their original location. This is followed by the expropriation of the buildings before the implementations have been initiated. As a counter example to Taksim 360 project, renewal project in Konak – entitled İzmir History Project – considers different values of cultural heritage and the needs of residents for " sustainable conservation ". Konak Renewal Area is a multi-layered and composite heritage place with residential, commercial, administrative and religious buildings belonging to different time periods. Currently, the heritage place is mostly occupied by immigrants from eastern cities of Turkey and war-torn Syria. In İzmir History Project, strategies have been defined by local authority for preventing changes in ownership and increases in rent values. Considering the initial aims of Taksim 360 and İzmir History Project which are totally different, an increase in real estate value following the implementation of the renewal projects has been observed in both cases. The change in real estate value is extremely drastic in Tarlabaşı comparing to Konak due to the economic potential of the site and the profit oriented interventions throughout the project. In Konak case, although the precautions are taken to prevent the risk of rent increase, there is still a rise in real estate values which may also lead the residents to leave the area in near future. By examining these two contrasting cases, the paper aims to illustrate the (potential) effects of renewal projects to the socio-cultural and economic values of heritage places by emphasizing inevitable increase in real estate values regardless of the initial intentions; either in the name " economic benefit " or " sustainable conservation " .
Conservation of cultural heritage is a ‘value’ based practice. The scholars in the fields of conservation and cultural economics have been aware of the co-existence of different values including economic as well as socio-cultural ones.... more
Conservation of cultural heritage is a ‘value’ based practice. The scholars in the fields of conservation and cultural economics have been aware of the co-existence of different values including economic as well as socio-cultural ones. Both the preservationist and economist approaches emphasize the subjectivity of ‘values’ that change according to time, context and the interests of different agents when intervention decisions about heritage places are at stake.
The heritage places located at the center of cities have become the arena of various interventions due to their values. To control the potentially destructive impact of interventions, heritage places in Turkey are subject to regulations for their conservation. However, in recent years, new policy instruments have been configured in order to overcome the existing control mechanisms and allow extensive interventions on heritage places in line with the interests and priorities of decision makers in Turkey. Law No. 5366/2005 on Renovating, Conserving and Actively Using Dilapidated Historical and Cultural Immovable Assets which was introduced for the transformation of renewal areas located within the boundaries of registered urban heritage places is one of the examples of new policy instruments.
In order to understand different intervention approaches in urban heritage places located within renewal areas, three urban heritage places in three different contexts are chosen for this study: Tarlabaşı in İstanbul, Hacı Bayram Square with its surrounding in Ankara and Kemeraltı-Konak in İzmir. In Tarlabaşı, due to the central location of the urban heritage place, the objective became to propose new luxurious living quarter through the expropriation of private properties and the displacement of residents. In Hacı Bayram Square and its surrounding, the aim was to create a new religious center by destroying the archaeological remains belonging to Roman Period, reconstructing old buildings and constructing new buildings using pseudo-traditional architectural language. In Kemeraltı-Konak, the social and cultural interests of decision makers have prevailed and interventions are proposed through the participation of different stakeholders to provide consensus between their values.
The interventions in these three heritage places showed that economic, ideological or socio-cultural priorities and interests of the decision makers determine the interventions in heritage places as a result of the extensive rights that renewal law gives to local authorities. Considering the impact of the interventions in Tarlabaşı, Hacı Bayram Square with its surrounding and Kemeraltı-Konak, the milieus of heritage places (physical setting, social environment and economic context) were altered and the values that they involve were changed. Three sets of relationship between interventions, values and milieus become evident to understand and assess changes: (i) values and intervention approaches, (ii) milieu and intervention approaches and (iii) values and milieus.
This study aims to understand the changes in urban heritage places and propose a tool for assessing these changes. The tool proposed for the assessment of change is the Heritage Value Circle (HVC) and it relies on the interrelation between intervention approaches, the values and the milieus of heritage places. HVC is operated in the three heritage places to demonstrate its application. The study also proposes policy recommendations to provide consensus between socio-cultural and economic values for the sustainability of urban heritage places.
Keywords: Economics of cultural heritage, Values of cultural heritage, Sustainability of urban heritage places
The heritage places located at the center of cities have become the arena of various interventions due to their values. To control the potentially destructive impact of interventions, heritage places in Turkey are subject to regulations for their conservation. However, in recent years, new policy instruments have been configured in order to overcome the existing control mechanisms and allow extensive interventions on heritage places in line with the interests and priorities of decision makers in Turkey. Law No. 5366/2005 on Renovating, Conserving and Actively Using Dilapidated Historical and Cultural Immovable Assets which was introduced for the transformation of renewal areas located within the boundaries of registered urban heritage places is one of the examples of new policy instruments.
In order to understand different intervention approaches in urban heritage places located within renewal areas, three urban heritage places in three different contexts are chosen for this study: Tarlabaşı in İstanbul, Hacı Bayram Square with its surrounding in Ankara and Kemeraltı-Konak in İzmir. In Tarlabaşı, due to the central location of the urban heritage place, the objective became to propose new luxurious living quarter through the expropriation of private properties and the displacement of residents. In Hacı Bayram Square and its surrounding, the aim was to create a new religious center by destroying the archaeological remains belonging to Roman Period, reconstructing old buildings and constructing new buildings using pseudo-traditional architectural language. In Kemeraltı-Konak, the social and cultural interests of decision makers have prevailed and interventions are proposed through the participation of different stakeholders to provide consensus between their values.
The interventions in these three heritage places showed that economic, ideological or socio-cultural priorities and interests of the decision makers determine the interventions in heritage places as a result of the extensive rights that renewal law gives to local authorities. Considering the impact of the interventions in Tarlabaşı, Hacı Bayram Square with its surrounding and Kemeraltı-Konak, the milieus of heritage places (physical setting, social environment and economic context) were altered and the values that they involve were changed. Three sets of relationship between interventions, values and milieus become evident to understand and assess changes: (i) values and intervention approaches, (ii) milieu and intervention approaches and (iii) values and milieus.
This study aims to understand the changes in urban heritage places and propose a tool for assessing these changes. The tool proposed for the assessment of change is the Heritage Value Circle (HVC) and it relies on the interrelation between intervention approaches, the values and the milieus of heritage places. HVC is operated in the three heritage places to demonstrate its application. The study also proposes policy recommendations to provide consensus between socio-cultural and economic values for the sustainability of urban heritage places.
Keywords: Economics of cultural heritage, Values of cultural heritage, Sustainability of urban heritage places
2019 ICOMOS Advisory Committee Scientific Symposium, Marrakesh, Morocco Rural Heritage: Landscapes and Beyond Panel 10: Rural Heritage Places in Turkey: Different Contexts | Diverse Issues | Distinct Responses Panel 10. Paper 10.1: From... more
2019 ICOMOS Advisory Committee Scientific Symposium, Marrakesh, Morocco
Rural Heritage: Landscapes and Beyond
Panel 10: Rural Heritage Places in Turkey: Different Contexts | Diverse Issues | Distinct Responses
Panel 10. Paper 10.1: From Understanding to Action for Conservation and Sustainability of a Rural Heritage Place: Kemer, Turkey
Kemer Village, a historic rural settlement situated in western Anatolia, is a very good representative of rural heritage places of this geography. Well-preserved buildings and settlement tissue of the village, provide invaluable information about spatial and architectural features, construction materials and techniques common to this geography. However, upper-scale agricultural production and settlement policies, as well as changing ways of living in time, lead to depopulation, discard, alteration and even destruction of Kemer Village. Besides the physical aspects, its intangible aspects, like local living traditions, beliefs, rituals and indigenous knowledge, are also under the risk of disappearing. Although the population of the village decreased significantly in time, there are still inhabitants and local masons living in the village. Thus, it becomes possible to understand the factors, processes and dynamics of change in this rural settlement, so as to be able to define policies, strategies and actions for the conservation and sustainability.
Although the common tendency to provide economic development to prevent depopulation of the rural historic areas is to bring touristic activities, this decision disturbs the integrity of social and physical environment. In Kemer Village this tendency has not been initiated yet. Therefore, Kemer Village is on the border of being abandoned or being a touristic destination.
This presentation explains the rural architectural and settlement features of the historical village of Kemer Village, together with indigenous knowledge on living and building traditions, resources and processes. It also discusses the factors, processes and dynamics affecting Kemer Village as a historic rural settlement, and consequently, proposes principles, policies, strategies and actions for the conservation and sustainability of rural heritage place by including all the decision-makers, inhabitants and experts to the shared decisionmaking process.
Rural Heritage: Landscapes and Beyond
Panel 10: Rural Heritage Places in Turkey: Different Contexts | Diverse Issues | Distinct Responses
Panel 10. Paper 10.1: From Understanding to Action for Conservation and Sustainability of a Rural Heritage Place: Kemer, Turkey
Kemer Village, a historic rural settlement situated in western Anatolia, is a very good representative of rural heritage places of this geography. Well-preserved buildings and settlement tissue of the village, provide invaluable information about spatial and architectural features, construction materials and techniques common to this geography. However, upper-scale agricultural production and settlement policies, as well as changing ways of living in time, lead to depopulation, discard, alteration and even destruction of Kemer Village. Besides the physical aspects, its intangible aspects, like local living traditions, beliefs, rituals and indigenous knowledge, are also under the risk of disappearing. Although the population of the village decreased significantly in time, there are still inhabitants and local masons living in the village. Thus, it becomes possible to understand the factors, processes and dynamics of change in this rural settlement, so as to be able to define policies, strategies and actions for the conservation and sustainability.
Although the common tendency to provide economic development to prevent depopulation of the rural historic areas is to bring touristic activities, this decision disturbs the integrity of social and physical environment. In Kemer Village this tendency has not been initiated yet. Therefore, Kemer Village is on the border of being abandoned or being a touristic destination.
This presentation explains the rural architectural and settlement features of the historical village of Kemer Village, together with indigenous knowledge on living and building traditions, resources and processes. It also discusses the factors, processes and dynamics affecting Kemer Village as a historic rural settlement, and consequently, proposes principles, policies, strategies and actions for the conservation and sustainability of rural heritage place by including all the decision-makers, inhabitants and experts to the shared decisionmaking process.
Heritage places have become the arena of various interventions due to their socio-cultural and economic values. However, new interventions for urban regeneration may have a destructive impact on the physical, social and economic aspects... more
Heritage places have become the arena of various interventions due to their socio-cultural and economic values. However, new interventions for urban regeneration may have a destructive impact on the physical, social and economic aspects of urban heritage places. As a result, the sustainability of heritage places becomes questionable. The study aims to examine interventions and their impact on sustainability in two urban heritage places in Turkey: Tarlabaşı, İstanbul and Kemeraltı, İzmir. In Tarlabaşı, historic buildings were expropriated and destroyed while people living in the area were displaced. A completely different approach was used in Kemeraltı, where a bottom-up approach has been adopted and holistic strategies have been developed considering both residents’ needs and the values of heritage place. While interventions in Tarlabaşı represent unsustainable modes of implementation; interventions in Kemeraltı suggest that there is scope for sustainability where the physical setting is preserved, the social environment is not changed but empowered, and economic activities continue together with control in rent increase. Looking at interventions in Tarlabaşı and Kemeraltı, and bearing in mind the international documents published by ICOMOS and UNESCO, the study aims to assess the post-intervention sustainability of urban heritage places. To do this, it focuses on intervention approaches, assess their impact on physical setting, social environment, and economic context and categorizes each of them from the most destructive to the most sustainable.
Keywords: Heritage impact assessment (HIA), urban heritage places, sustainability, İstanbul, İzmir
Keywords: Heritage impact assessment (HIA), urban heritage places, sustainability, İstanbul, İzmir