Erzurum’s historical urban texture has lost its layered structure over time, and its integrated structure with the city has deteriorated.
The present study aims to determine the physical characteristics of Erzurum’s historical city centre and their influence on pedestrian movements in order to quantify spatial legibility. The present study employs the Space Syntax technique. Developed by Hiller & Hanson (1984), this method serves as an approach for analysing the complex structure of cities, and it has been applied in a variety of disciplines.
All types of maps and aerial photographs, related publications, theses, the conservation plan dated 6.8.1986, and the open-source software DepthmapX were used as primary materials in the present study. Field observations, expert evaluations, and field and numerical data were used as secondary materials.
The present study focuses on Erzurum’s historical city centre, which is protected as a first and third-degree archaeological site. The study area was divided into four regions for examination. Region I involves the Erzurum Castle and its surroundings; Region II involves the Twin Minaret Madrasa and its surroundings; Region III involves the Yakutiye Municipality building and its surroundings; Region IV involves the Yakutiye Madrasa and its surroundings.
The Photoshop program was used to visualise the suggestions presented at the conclusion stage. The present study can be categorised as applied research because of this characteristic. Over time, historical cities evolve and develop a layered structure. The relevance of historical textures is recognised in planned cities, and the historical texture is conserved. The city of Erzurum, which was selected as the study area, is one of the cities where the historical urban environment and street texture could not be preserved. The historical city centre, which is a first- and third-degree protected area connected to the city’s busiest street, has become isolated over time, the area has become run-down with the gradual withdrawal of the historical city’s inhabitants, and the lack of responsibility and abandonment has resulted in security issues. The relationship between spatial accessibility and this scenario was investigated in the present study. The findings of the analysis and methodology are represented graphically. An axial map of the study area was first constructed, followed by a spatial legibility graph. According to the graphic results, the accessibility value in Regions I and IV are better as a result of the arrangements made in the form of city squares, whereas the accessibility value in Regions II and III is rather low. In order for the space to achieve a permeable structure, access points are defined and depicted on maps. In the conclusion section of the present study, the beneficial aspects of the relationship between accessibility and landscaping as found in the field studies were analysed, and field suggestions were included. The historical street texture of Erzurum has almost completely vanished in the area, according to investigations. In terms of legibility, it has been decided that the urban landscape studies conducted in Regions I and IV are more applicable. The historical urban texture of Regions II and III has been assessed to be complex, lacking a substantial level of comfort, and also insufficient in terms of security due to the isolation brought on by this turmoil, resulting in poor walkability.
The importance of accessibility in historical urban textures, as well as its implications for spatial use, have been evaluated in the pres-ent study. The use of digital software is critical in the planning of historical urban textures, which are becoming more relevant around the world and in our country. The present study, which was conducted in Erzurum’s historical city centre, is unique in regional terms. In terms of urban memory, historical urban textures are extremely important. The approaches that represent the spirit of the space, integrate with the traditional texture and respect the urban stratification, as well as the aesthetic value they offer to the city, emerge as the unifying element of city squares. The feasibility of recent urban transformation works in and around Erzurum Castle within the context of the layered structure was assessed in the present study. This distinguishes the study in regional terms.
Point proposals that have been expanded in terms of the coherence of the study area, which has a significant resource value in terms of preserving the remaining pieces of history, make the study distinctive in another respect.
Zaman içerisinde değişerek günümüze gelen tarihi kentlerin sahip olduğu sosyal, mimari ve ticari doku kentsel mirasın en önemli bileşenleridir. Günümüzde hızla değişen kentlerin çoğu, tarihi kimliğini koruyamamış ve tarihi doku önemini yitirmiştir. Kentsel mirasın sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlanması kültür aktarımı açısından da oldukça önemlidir ve korunması zorunludur. Bu amaçla pek çok planlama kararlarının alındığını ancak bu kararların her zaman yeterli olmadığı ve bilimsel temellere dayanmadığı görülmektedir. Çok katmanlı yapıya ve oldukça zengin kültürel birikime sahip olan Erzurum Tarihi kent çekirdeğinin ne yazık ki son 10 yıl içinde hızlı yok olması oldukça üzücüdür. Çözüm olarak kent merkezinde bulunan ancak kentten soyutlanarak kent yaşamından uzaklaşmış olan bölgelerin kent yaşamına yeniden katılması ve kent ile bütünlüğünün sağlanması önerilmektedir. Bu araştırma Erzurum kenti tarihi dokusunu oluşturan iç kale ve çevresini içine alan 1. derece ve 3. derece kentsel sit alanı ve çevresini kapsamaktadır. Çalışmanın ana amacı, Erzurum tarihi kent çekirdeğinin fiziksel özellikleri ve bu özelliklerin yaya hareketlerine olan etkisinin belirlenerek mekân okunabilirliğinin ölçülmesidir. Bu amaçla 2019 yılında uygulanmaya başlanan, ilk etabı bitmiş olan koruma amaçlı imar planı kararları incelenerek tarihi kent çekirdeğinin kent ile bütünleşme yolları araştırılmıştır. Tarihi kent çekirdeği mekân dizim analizi yöntemi ile alan erişilebilirliği, alan bütünleşmesi ve sokak okunabilirliği analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda, Erzurum tarihi kent çekirdeğinin erişilebilirlik ve bütünleşme açısından iyiye yakın olduğu, ancak tarihi sokak dokusunun özgünlüğünü yitirmiş olduğu görülmüştür. Analiz sonuçları değerlendirilerek Erzurum tarihi kent çekirdeğinin kent ile yeniden bütünleşmesi, erişilebilirliğinin ve mekânsal okunabilirliğinin artması için bazı kriterler ortaya konulmuştur.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Mekan dizin analizi, tarihi kentler, okunabilirlik