It was aimed in this study to determine the effects on the perceptual evaluations of participants for the design differences of mosque facades that were shaped according to periods, countries and architectural trends within the geographical boundaries where the Islamic religion spread. With this purpose, 100 participants treated in 3 groups (Seljukid period, Ottoman period and Turkish Republic Period) were evaluated with the semantic differentiation scale, which covered the variables of preference, complexity, impressiveness and stimulative of the facade visuals of 16 different mosques. In conclusion, the data obtained on the mosque visuals, which were used in the survey study, showed that there was a statistically significant differences among the variables of complexity, preference, impressiveness and stimulative and it was determined that there was a reverse U-shaped relationship between the variables of preference and complexity in the evaluation of mosque. Then, to examine the effect of age, gender and education level on participants evaluations of the mosque visuals, the one-way analysis of variance was applied. Accordingly, it was determined that the male participants displayed a more negative approach compared to female, middle-aged participants (36-50 years of age) compared to young participants (22-35 years of age), participants with higher education compared to participants with secondary education. According to results; the Ottoman period mosques were more complex compared to the others, they were preferenced more and found to be even more effective and stimulating.

This paper presents the results of a 2-phase study conducted in order to understand the current state of lighting design education in interior design departments in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, and to report whether or not there is a need to adopt a different approach to lighting design education. In the first phase, information about undergraduate and graduate courses offered specifically for lighting design and those that include lighting design in addition to other building sciences, such as acoustics and HVAC, was gathered. In the second phase, department chairs were contacted and asked to comment on their approach to lighting design education. The results of the first phase revealed the lack of compulsory courses in the subject, an inadequacy of practical course hours, variations in the weekly hours of courses, differences in the credit values, and a scarcity of graduate programs with courses in lighting design. The results of the second phase, obtained in the statements of respondents, pointed out issues to be addressed regarding the lack of facilities and equipment for practice, the number of compulsory courses, and limited collaboration between industry and universities. In the light of our findings, it is thought that it may be necessary to adopt a different approach to lighting design education in the departments of interior design.

Traditional houses are historically, culturally, and structurally important buildings. Traditional houses may change for a variety of reasons over time due to changes in social life. For example, they may no longer respond to user needs and desires. The aim of this study was to examine physical changes made to traditional Diyarbakir houses that occurred as a result of the social structure. Diyarbakir, a historical city of Anatolia, has traditional houses that include past cultural values that date back 5 centuries. After the 1950s, the original character of traditional houses began to be lost with the impact of population growth and unplanned urbanization. The traditional houses were designed for the large, patriarchal families of the past. Today, typically, lower income groups live in these houses. In terms of usage, the earlier meaning has been completely lost. This study was conducted to analyze how changes in social structure affect architecture. Physical changes made to traditional Diyarbakir houses were catalogued in on-site examinations, the residents were surveyed in an effort to determine a user profile, and an analysis was performed to assess the changes observed.

Worldwide, attention to user participation in shaping urban environments has grown in recent years. In Turkey it can be seen in the efforts of local authorities, civil initiatives and neighborhood organizations. This study examined the bottom-up transformation of a cultural space that exists in Izmir since the 1960s, in the neighborhood of Güzelyalı. A new technique in oral history studies of simulating and curating a remembering process was proposed to reveal how civic empowerment developed and operated. The process examined the narratives behind collective action through a reading of the collective memory. Re-reading the past in the present can generate new processes of civic engagement and action in urban spaces.

This study consists of research about the historical development of the Gedikpasa neighborhood in the Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey, an analysis of the social and physical changes in this neighborhood over the centuries, documentation of existing historical buildings, and a recommendation about preserving and restoring the cultural heritage of Gedikpasa. Gedikpasa was established in Roman times. Various ethnic groups have lived and co-existed in the district over the centuries and have contributed to the diverse socio-cultural characteristics of the neighborhood. Monuments were built during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet and the traditional building architecture of Gedikpasa, consisting of a grid street plan formation, was formed in the 19th century. Local residents of Gedikpasa started to leave the neighborhood in the 1960s, which led to a social change, followed by an architectural change. Gedikpasa was transformed from a mainly residential area into a commercial area, and as a result, the traditional characteristics have largely disappeared. Today, Gedikpasa is mainly ruins. The local government has plans in place to convert the neighborhood into a touristic and commercial area. As part of this study, both the historical and the current state of Gedikpasa were documented, and socio-cultural and architectural features were analyzed. A recommendation for the preservation and restoration of the social and physical heritage of the district was developed as a result of this analysis.

The Hejaz Railway, considered the last major project of the Caliphate, was an important project of the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 19th century. Books, articles and theses were written about the project by numerous domestic and foreign researchers, but the “Hicaz Railway Müdüriyyet-i Umumiyesi Project,” which was meant to serve and strengthen the region, was never truly completed. This study is a review of the original drawings found in the archives of the General Directorate of Foundations and some 6000 BOA documents, as well as the historical and political developments related to the project. The plan and facade features of this high-quality project supported by the empire and reflecting the style of the national architect have been introduced for the first time in detail with evaluations of the architectural approach. The aim of this article was to provide new insight and information to researchers on the work of architects Kemaleddin, Ali Talat and Mukbil Kemal.

Zawiyas are places where dervishes belonging to a tariqa live together under the care of a sheikh. Often, they are built far from large urban settlements in rural areas using only their own abilities and possessions. Sheikh Mas’ud Khorasani Zâwiya is located on the southern skirts of Top Mountain, to the south of the inner city of Urfa. There are also cave settlements and cisterns in the vicinity. The origin of the Sheikh Mas’ud Khorasani Zâwiya, which has no building marker or builder epitaph, has been dated to between the end of the 12th century and the last quarter of the 14th century. The facility consists of a central courtyard with an architectural square plan with rooms around the courtyard from the grave room to the tomb. The courtyard is half-covered with a dome. Sheikh Mas’ud Khorasani Zâwiya has become a pilgrimage site now, due to the presence of the grave and tomb of Sheikh Mas’ud and the recent increase in the number of settlements around it. This research is an architectural and historical examination of the Sheikh Mas’ud Khorasani Zâwiya.

Ornaments and decorations were essential in the architectural design of the ninth century, the early Islamic period. Umayyad and Abbasid ornamentation, which was the basis of the decorative elements used by later Islamic states, developed from the 7th century to the 10th century. Early Islamic art and architecture developed in the Umayyad period, then was further enriched during the Abbasid period, which saw an increase in the Turkish influence. Byzantine, Sasanian, Arab, and Turkish cultures contributed to foundational patterns of Islamic decorative elements. The new style was characterized by geometric patterns, in which the circle is essential. The six or eight-pointed star that is often the first image to come to mind when we think of Islamic art and architecture, is derived from interconnected squares, hexagons, and octagons that begin with a circle. These themes are also easily portrayed in construction. This article is a geometric analysis of motifs derived from the circle.

This study investigated the housing satisfaction and the urban transformation expectations in the Türk-iş Blocks, built by a labor cooperative in the Altınpark neighborhood of Altındağ, Ankara. The area was declared “risky ” in 2013. A survey and in-depth interviews were conducted to examine the satisfaction of residents with housing and their expectations of urban transformation. The results revealed that a large number of the respondents were satisfied with their houses and living environment. Satisfaction increased with duration of time living in the area and age. Over time, the homogenous and stable population in the area has reorganized their houses according to their needs and established a spatial, social, and emotional connection to their neighborhood. The strengths of the area include its neighborhood identity, close social relations, accessibility, and sufficiency of urban services and green areas. Areas of dissatisfaction included insufficient indoor installations, cultural/sports facilities, and security and parking lot problems. Most residents did not support urban transformation plans; however, those who do support the idea have high expectations of the process. With the condition of maintaining their current spatial rights, many perceived urban transformation as a solution to the problems of the area and indicated that their economic status has improved and that life has become more luxurious and comfortable.

The aim of the present study was to understand the use of urban identity elements in the marketing of housing projects in the context of İstanbul’s city branding target. First, the notion of urban identity and the use of identity factors by various sectors were studied. Two topics were the focus: branding policies on an urban scale, and using identity in housing project marketing. Secondly, the conceptual background of city branding and Istanbul’s branding practices were examined. Finally, as the original work of the article, the use of urban identity elements in the marketing strategy for housing projects was examined and a new classification was created. Based on a study of the marketing of housing projects, the themes of “Historical/Cultural Heritage and Race Emphasis,” “Natural Heritage Usage,” “Location/Urban Network Accessibility Emphasis,” and “Franchising of City Name” were used in the classification. Use of those themes together, called “Synthesis Usage,” was analyzed in depth using the purposive sample method. The investor profile, the project district, and the number of housing units were evaluated using the commercial/introductory advertising video, advertising catalogs, and the websites of 30 housing projects. It was observed that public-private partnerships and private sector actors continue to use the collective symbolic capital of the city as a marketing tool. The consumption-oriented approach and commodification of an Istanbul urban identity was critiqued.

While structures are necessary to meet housing needs, on the other hand, the construction industry consumes a great quantity of resources, creating a problem that is global in scale. Supplying the materials, processing them, and transporting them to the construction site create significant environmental problems. Therefore, to reduce waste, preserve resources, and to increase energy efficiency, an ecodesign approach is now being considered. In this study, ecodesign principles and materials were examined, and earth structure techniques used in building since the early ages were analyzed. The standards and regulations used around the world were considered and products produced with earth materials were identified. In different countries there are different materials, construction techniques, and documents used in the production of earth structures. Although such structures are preferred in many countries, the number of countries linking earth structure production to standards and regulations is limited. This study was an examination and analysis of earth structure regulations and standards in Turkey.

The number of planned and installed hydroelectric power plants has increased dramatically in the last 15 years in Turkey. The local natural and socio-cultural domains of the subject landscapes, however, have mostly been ignored in the decision-making and implementation processes for these plant projects. As a consequence, hydroelectric plants installed in the water-rich regions of the country had adverse effects on river landscapes. Local and national water and landscape stakeholders have confronted each other in several platforms as a result of their conflicting needs and interests. River landscapes in the province of Van, located in eastern Anatolia, are also faced with similar threats and disagreements as a result of multiple, river-type hydropower plants that are to be installed in the near future. A collaborative decision-making approach that would allow for active stakeholder participation and that would support negotiation and consensus among the stakeholders offers the potential to cope with the issues and to support the sustainability of the river landscape in Van. This article is an examination of the limitations and opportunities of a collaborative approach to hydroelectric energy generation planning in Van. With this aim, following a description of the landscape characteristics, the area was evaluated for its importance in landscape conservation and attractiveness for hydroelectric energy generation. The stakeholders’ roles, their influence, and conflicts in hydropower planning were analyzed and assessed using qualitative procedures. Next, possible landscape changes and impacts that the hydroelectric plants may cause were identified. Based on the identified limitations and opportunities for active stakeholder participation in hydropower and landscape conservation, recommendations were provided for collaborative decision-making processes that would aim for sustainability of the river landscapes in Van.

In the last 15 years, many cities in different parts of the world have witnessed various facets of neoliberal urban restructuring, from top-down gentrification projects, to mass housing projects causing a real estate bubble, and the eviction of present dwellers. The response has often been street protests and other activities initiated by the dwellers. The same sort of eviction processes have been seen across the world, followed by the widespread privatization of common lands. The Occupy Movements have reacted to the privatization of common lands in many cities of the world. This paper is an analysis of the theoretical background of such movements and a discussion of the limits and possibilities of the Right to the City (RTC) and Commons literature. The aim of the article is to contribute to the literature of critical urban studies by analyzing different interpretations and providing an overview of how these varied conceptualizations shape activism.