Megaron. 2024; 19(2): 161-183 | DOI: 10.14744/megaron.2024.21208 | |||
Learning from Swindon Railway Town: A Comparative Study with Alsancak Railway CampusŞeyma Seyrek1, Elvan Ebru Omay Polat21Architectural Restoration Programme, Hitit University, Çorum, Türkiye2Department of Architecture, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye The railway system, considered an industrial heritage today, emerged in England as a means of transportation and spread rapidly worldwide in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. As in other industrial building types, the advancement of technology and the emergence of new systems for railway structures have been a threat; since the twentieth century's latter half, many railways in the industrial and mining areas have been closed, and the disused buildings have faced the risk of rapid extinction. The deliberate destruction of railway structures in the 1960s, symbolized by the demolition of the Euston Arch in England, started the debate on railway heritage, first in England and then in the world. This study focuses on Swindon Railway Town, a highly significant industrial settlement of its era in England, as an exemplar of railway heritage conservation due to preservation efforts since the 1980s, including various restoration and reused railway buildings. It is an early and important example of both railway construction and conservation practice. This article aims to investigate Swindon as a potential conservation model for the Alsancak Railway Campus, considering their shared similarities in era, scale, and style, through a comparative study focusing on cultural significance and conservation status. These two railway areas were selected as case studies because they Şeyma Seyrek, Elvan Ebru Omay Polat. Learning from Swindon Railway Town: A Comparative Study with Alsancak Railway Campus. Megaron. 2024; 19(2): 161-183 Corresponding Author: Şeyma Seyrek, Türkiye |
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