The Role of Place Experience and Satisfaction in Revisit Intention at Trabzon\u27s Avni Aker Millet Bahçesi

Urban open spaces create experience spaces for users with the physical and social features they offer. "Millet Bahçesi" is one of the places designed and implemented in recent years within the scope of open spaces. This research aims to investigate the effects of the environmental features of the Millet Bahçesi on place experience and place satisfaction, as well as revisit intention within the scope of open spaces. In this context, the environmental characteristics of "Trabzon Avni Aker Millet Bahçesi" were evaluated by post-use evaluation method with 211 users. Scales were applied to measure the effects of environmental features on place satisfaction and revisit Intention The research conducted correlation and regression analyses between socio-demographic characteristics, space use characteristics, environmental characteristics, place satisfaction and revisit intention. As a result of the study, when we examined the factors affecting the revisit intention, it was seen that only the factors "place satisfaction, sociability, uses and activities, revisit Intention" were included in the model. In this research, aims to focus only on the environmental characteristics of open spaces. In this regard, the newly implemented Millet Bahçesi, where the users have no previous experience, was chosen as the study area. Evaluations can also be made in open spaces where users have past experiences. It is very important to determine the factors that affect the sense of satisfaction as a result of the place experience in urban open spaces that play an important role in the city center, such as Trabzon Avni Aker National Garden. The importance of spatial designs and socialization opportunities that offer diversity in terms of uses and activity in particular on the sense of satisfaction is explained. Additionally, comparisons can be made by examining more than one Millet Bahçesi. These are among the limitations of the research. The results of this study, which focuses on urban open space environmental characteristics, are significant for city managers, designers and users. In particular, the factors affecting the revisit intention will contribute to the design process of newly designed open spaces

Development of Design in Landscape Architecture Education

The study aims to contribute to professional disciplines and literature through the design approach in visual arts-based education, especially architectural education. Visual perception is important in the design process. However, in professions related to architecture, design, and art, the perception selectivity of people should be developed and well-prepared products should be offered to users. The research aims to determine how perception theory changes depending on the education students receive. Visual quality analysis, which forms the basis of our study, was used to determine how effective perception management is, which is important for landscape architecture students and in many visual arts branches such as painting, sculpture, and stage design. In the study, students of all courses were asked to evaluate different planting designs implemented in a single structural project simultaneously, based on the basic five design principles. The data taken based on a visual survey was analyzed with Chi-Square and Frequency Analyses in the Social Sciences Program Statistical Package and examined whether the design courses taken by the students for 4 years were related to their visual perception experiences. To the analyses, it has been determined that there are differences between first-year and final-year students in their interpretation of these principles, that the education received enriches the student\u27s visual production area, and that the use of technology in design also contributes greatly. As a result, it was revealed that the needs of the students in their landscaping arrangements and designs both practical and theoretical education should be updated according to the student\u27s interests and skills. Thus, the contributions of visual perception in landscape education in analyzing, appreciating, and creating visually interesting and functional landscapes will be discussed, and suggestions will be offered to improve their education and designs in their future professional lives

Parking Suitability and Site Selection Analysis Using GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Techniques: AHP, TOPSIS, and VIKOR – A Case Study of Pendik District (Istanbul)

Demand for parking areas has increased with the growing population and increasing number of vehicles. Large cities are suffering from a lack of parking areas, which are one of the most significant parts of the modern urban transportation system and traffic management. Locating parking areas has become a major challenge for the urban transport planners, especially in the downtown of metropolises. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with geographic analysis tools can provide a scientific approach to determine optimum locations for parking areas. In this paper, the essential factors affecting parking site selection were considered and data sets concerning these factors were created by GIS analysis techniques. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a Multiple-Criteria-Decision-Analysis (MCDA) method was applied to derive weights of the selected parameters. To conduct parking demand analysis, the parking suitability map was produced by integrating the GIS with AHP. Then, suitable parking areas were determined in a zoning plan that was based on the highest suitability on the map. Other MCDA techniques including TOPSIS and VIKOR were examined and compared to determine the order of preferences among suitable parking areas. Similar to the traditional AHP method, the same results were obtained in the ranking of parking areas with the other methods. Using GIS with these MCDA techniques appears to be a usable approach for better resource allocation as well as parking site selection

Design Principles for a Special Education Center for Children on Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) expresses different usage of communication, application of language and stereotypic behavior. ASD continues lifelong. Therefore, good design quality and special education is essential for individuals who are diagnosed with ASD. The suitable design of special education center for ASD will help children on the spectrum to learn and gain communication skills in comfortable environments. However, design for autism is an overlooked topic by design researchers, interior architects. This research aims to fill the gap in the literature of design for ASD. The qualitative research is applied in the research to comprehend design problems and solve it by new understanding of design. In this study, 6 autism experts’ idea were taken in the meetings to design better autism centers for individuals on the spectrum. Participants of the study shared their observation of autism centers and approach for better autism centers. Depending on the repetitive view of problems and solutions, some research codes were achieved to have common sense of autism design. Moreover, special education center in the USA was visited to analyze more deeply. Main problem of special education design is crowded classrooms which doesn’t help students to self-regulate. Also being unaware of ASD and its relation to the design creates ignorance to design for ASD. Depending on the interviews and observation of autism center, solution for design problems are displayed. By this way, design set-up can be made to create autism friendly centers

The Impact of Trade on Architecture During the Seljuk-Ottoman Period: A Study on Caravanserai and Khan Structures in the Southeastern Anatolia Region

This study analyzes the impact of trade on architectural structures and examines how caravanserais and khans gradually transformed into commercial centers. Sixty-one structures built between the 13th and 20th centuries in the Southeastern Anatolia Region were identified, though historical information was unavailable for 12 of them. Among the 49 examined buildings, four belonged to the Seljuk period, 3 to the Early Ottoman period, and 42 to the Ottoman period. Eight well-preserved structures with clearly identifiable architectural elements and documented construction dates were selected for detailed analysis. The selection process included examples from the Seljuk (13th century), Early Ottoman (14th-15th century), and Ottoman (16th century and beyond) periods. Field studies were conducted to document the structures\u27 current condition. In contrast, archival documents and official records were used to analyze architectural plans, facade designs, and the relationship between open and closed spaces. Comparative analyses were carried out through visuals, tables, and drawings, which were systematically converted into schematic representations and categorized based on their construction periods. The findings reveal that trade routes and economic changes directly influenced the architectural plans of khans and caravanserais. While security-focused structures were common in the 13th century, declining trade in the 14th century led to the preference for smaller, enclosed plans. From the 15th century onwards, courtyards were reintroduced, and during the Ottoman period, khans evolved into commercial centers. After the 16th century, shop units were added, the number of floors increased, and aesthetic elements became more prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries. This study highlights the architectural transformation of khans and caravanserais, emphasizing the impact of trade on their identity and the significance of factors contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage

Evaluating the Miyawaki Afforestation Technique in Urban Landscapes: Opportunities and Challenges

Urban landscapes are increasingly dominated by impermeable surfaces, leading to significant ecological degradation, biodiversity loss, and urban heat island effects. The Miyawaki Afforestation Technique has gained attention as a potential solution for restoring urban green spaces by rapidly creating dense, biodiverse forests. This paper evaluates the potential and limitations of the Miyawaki method in the context of urban planning, with a focus on its ecological, social, and economic implications. While the method offers rapid forest establishment, increased biodiversity, and improved air quality, its applicability in varying climatic and urban conditions remains controversial. Issues such as land availability, maintenance intensity, and public perception of untamed green spaces present challenges for widespread adoption. Additionally, the need for substantial soil preparation raises concerns regarding cost and feasibility in dense urban environments. This study critically examines these factors, proposing a balanced perspective on the Miyawaki method\u27s role in contemporary urban design. The findings suggest that while the technique holds promise for enhancing urban sustainability, its integration into planning policies requires careful consideration of spatial, financial, and social dynamics

Preserving and Rehabilitating the Historic Urban Landscape of Istanbul: A Case Study of the Büyükdere District

Büyükdere has been a settlement since the Byzantine period and was a popular summer destination for ambassadors and foreigners due to its natural beauty in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nevertheless, while the urban sprawl of Büyükdere continued during the Republican period, the settlement began to lose its cosmopolitan structure. The problematic legal processes of Bosporus caused deterioration in the historical fabric of Büyükdere, even though it was declared a “historical urban site” in 1983. As a unique part of Bosporus’ urban morphology, Büyükdere has not received enough attention, which can support the preservation of its urban fabric, from scholars and local authorities so far. Therefore, this study aims to fill the knowledge gap on Büyükdere by highlighting its preservation problems and thus, developing rehabilitation proposals for its historical urban fabric. The settlement was documented via various analyses, and through them: legal, physical, and socio-economic preservation problems were determined at the building and urban scales. In 2023, 10,2% of the buildings were determined unoccupied, whilst 10% of the buildings were observed as structurally in bad condition. While 50,9% of the existing building stock was determined as new buildings, 6,4% of the buildings on the site were newly constructed on listed parcels. When the numbers of listed buildings were compared in 1978, 1983, 2004, and 2022, it was determined that 167 heritage buildings were lost during the last decades. The primary cause of this heritage loss has been identified as legal procedures, which significantly impact the site\u27s preservation status. In parallel with these, due to the decrease in the local population, abandonment and neglect were observed to impact the deterioration level of remaining heritage buildings. Consequently, new urban designs and interventions were proposed to revitalize the fabric and create a sustainable preservation environment

Investigation of Konya Musalla Cemetery in terms of Landscape Design Principles

Grave and cemetery culture is shaped according to the lifestyles, cultures and religious beliefs of societies and is remarkable because it represents life after death. Cemeteries represent the oldest structures in human history that carry and illuminate information about cultural identity such as religion, history, social, economic, customs and crafts to the present day. As a basic function, cemeteries are storage areas that allow dead bodies to mix with the soil without endangering public health. In addition, they are places of remembrance, visitation and symbolic meaning for the living. The main material of the research is the Musalla Cemetery, located in the Selçuklu district of Konya province, with an area of 191,875 m². Musalla Cemetery was used during the Seljuk, Principalities, Ottoman and Republican periods and is the largest cemetery in Konya that has survived to the present day. The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation of Konya Musalla Cemetery in terms of landscape design principles. In this context, firstly, cemetery structural and vegetative design principles were researched, and then Musalla Cemetery was examined and evaluated in line with the mentioned principles. As a result, it has been determined that the vegetative design principles are not fully fulfilled in the area that is generally found to be suitable for structural design principles. While the lack of parking in or near the area puts visitors in a difficult situation, insufficient lighting elements threaten human safety in the evening hours

What Makes a Space Relatively Memorable? A Study on the Recollection of Spaces through Space Syntax and Imageability Theories

Space is a fundamental component of our existence, without which we cannot live or think. During our daily lives, we perceive various components of space concurrently and we build an understanding of the environment in our memories. The spatial properties/qualities of the environment have their own unique place in this context and have been studied in psychological and several non-psychological disciplines such as architecture, phenomenology, sociology and geography. In this frame, imageability theory focuses on the environment’s visuo-spatial quality, whereas space syntax theory focuses on its spatial configuration, and they both enable the systematic evaluation of numerical data. Starting with the question "What makes a space memorable among all its different components/features?", the research aims to investigate the effect of certain spatial qualities on spatial memory through quantitative research on an architectural scale. Within a multidisciplinary framework, the methodology presents a unique approach that integrates space syntax with memory data. Firstly, content analysis was applied to cognitive maps, and the obtained data were redefined according to the configurational (syntactic) and imageability qualities of the real environment they represent. Secondly, the redefined data was tested to evaluate the effect of spatial qualities on memory. 77 participants (age 23-75; 52M/25F) attended the case study and drew the plan schemas of the school building they graduated from. The relation between memory and (1) spatial units’ imageability categories is searched through ANOVA tests, and (2) spatial units’ syntactic values is searched through correlation tests. The significant results reveal that configurational and visual qualities of spaces are essential factors on what will be stored in memory depending on their lead of participants’ spatial experience routines via their formal qualities. Furthermore, the case study presents multidisciplinary data that contributes to architectural design, environment and behavior, and space syntax theories and provides new insight into cognitive research on memory

Analysing the Transformation of Space Design through Globalization and Its Effects on the User: A Case Study of \u27Yer Ev\u27 in Aydın

With globalization, the speed at which people can access information has increased, the boundaries in the world have blurred, and societies, cultures, and economies have moved away from each other to the extent that they have come closer. Changes in social communication styles have, on the one hand, made it possible for a locality in any part of the world to become visible, and on the other hand, made it necessary to filter the information obtained against an identity problem that may arise. Within the scope of the study, the inevitable effects of globalization have been analyzed in the general concept of design and specifically in interior design. In this context, the research aims to examine the changing built environment with the effects of globalization and to emphasize the transformations that occur in the cultural and social lives of individuals. In line with this purpose, “Yer Ev” and newly built apartments located in the Incirliova district of Aydın Province were examined within the scope of the research. The study was carried out by selecting the phenomenology design from qualitative research methods. Images were collected through on-site observations in the region, and the collected images were presented by categorizing them in terms of spatial evaluations. Semi-structured interviews conducted with eight participants were analyzed and tabulated using the Nvivo program. Within the scope of the research, it was observed that design data specific to the culture of the geography in which the interior design is lived was not included as a value and that standardizations were brought to the design action, which should be shaped by user-specific data by nature, and that uniformity was experienced. The importance of presenting studies based on research that are far from generalizations in determining the needs and demands of individuals\u27 lives was emphasized