343tammakaleing - fffffffffffffffff PDF

Preview

Summary

fffffffffffffffff...

Description

ISVS-6 6th International Seminar on Vernacular Settlements, Contemporary Vernaculars: Places, Processes and Manifestations, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus.

Vernacular and Contemporary Together: Ortamahalle, Akçaabat E. S.Akın History of Art Department Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Turkey

H. Özen Department of Architecture, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

Abstract As it is well know that, cultural environment (history, custom and usage, living style, religion), physical factors (topography, climate, flora) and materials are important factors in forming vernacular architecture. These factors make their mark on the traditional building and provide regional identity to them. Although vernacular buildings show similarity in morphology, materials, plan and settlement characteristics, these similarities have distinguishing characters and show regional differences. The main aim of this study is to document settlement characteristics of traditional houses located in the historic district of Akçabaat, a town of Trabzon and comparing the settlement with the current settlement characteristics of the city. The Akçaabat traditional houses have many distinguishing characters, which make them to be different from the traditional houses of the other parts in Turkey. The traditional houses within the historic district were mainly built by Greeks. The other traditional houses built after Greeks by Turks are similar to those of Greeks and there were no distinguishing differences in terms of plan, view, side and settlement than buildings of Greek period. The current buildings lack of identity and carry no local characteristics, pronounced more in traditional settlement, in the city’s past. Akçaabat has become an extremely distorted urbanized city with the built of many buildings located in front of the traditional houses that disorder the texture by blocking the view of traditional houses. In this study, the combination of street, backyard and house trio was typologically analyzed by betraying the traditional settlement texture. The cultural environment, physical environment and materials are taken into account in typological analysis. Traditional and current textures were discussed alternatively and the conditions of both textures were presented. Why and how archaic characteristics were not passed to the new environment in the city where quality settlement was deteriorated was also discussed. Keywords: Vernacular Architecture, Culture, Topography, Climate, Materials, Akçaabat

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

Introduction Societies reflect their culture in their living environment and buildings they designed and they are, in turn, affected by these formation. Therefore, architectural formations play role in ensuring cultural continuity and setting the conditions for future societies. Cultural environment (history, custom and usage, living style, religion), physical factors (topography, climate, and flora) and materials are important factors affecting on architectural environment. The settlements where these factors are effective become more peculiar and these factors present attributes gaining local identity for the area they are found. Schulz, who explicates identity within “unalloyedpeculiarity-local” attributes, specifies that settlements are shaped by depending upon the features (cultural environment, physical factors and materials) of the “location” [1]. In detail description of cultural environment, we can see that each society has its own peculiar culture. People unconsciously make connection with their culture; become member of that culture; show regular behavior as a result of being social. Rapoport defends by mentioning the close relationship between form and culture, that there are stable forms appealing changes and accepted as true in cultural values of each society (history, custom and usage, living style, religion) context [2]. For this, the cultural environment of the society should be taken into account when assessing the buildings, objects and environment [3]. From this point of view, architecture that are under the direct effects of civilization shows great differences from one country, city and district to the others even during the same period of the time [4]. Physical environment (structure of settlement ground, climate, and flora) are reflected into settlement form and architecture; environment and architecture are combined with each other and vicinage gains peculiar structure [1]. Local attributes become identifier in designing buildings due to wide, narrow and steep settlement ground or cold or warm climate. It is obvious that the people chose abundant, reachable and cheap materials when constructing traditional houses. Traditional materials such as stone, wood and soil are formed differently in different culture and environment with different techniques and gain peculiar attributes. For example, wood are formed differently in different places in the world. Building materials and techniques therefore appear as distinguishing feature at this point. With the combination and blending of these three factors (culture, climate-topography and materials that are mentioned in formation of traditional environment and buildings, peculiar and single environment having identity will be formed. All buildings built before industrial revolution carry traditional features and we see these traditional features in settlement, plan and fronts of the buildings. From this point of view, we can say that “there are traditional architectures in every place in the world”. But we cannot say that all traditional architecture is a vernacular one. Vernacular architecture must have original features and be differentiated from other localities. In this context, we can call vernacular architecture as “Local Architecture” [5]. In summary, settlements having peculiar, identity and reflecting local culture, physical conditions and locally available materials are vernacular. Traditional architectures that are trying to maintaining their existences in a corner of a rapid urbanized city carry their peculiar features despite the heavy pressure from the urbanization.

ISVS 6, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus

In this study, Akçaabat district that has its own features and can be classified as vernacular has been chosen as an example location. The buildings throughout last 30 years have been constructed by ignoring traditional textures of the city. These buildings activities ignoring traditional texture have caused the city lost its identity. The traditional settlement blocked by new settlement is not given necessary care and value.

The city of Akçaabat Akçaabat is a town of Trabzon located in Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Location of Akçaabat [6] In this study the vernacular architecture of Akçaabat has been examined by analyzing the traditional buildings in Ortamahalle (Middle of District) and why the vernacular architecture is not passed into future has been discussed. Before that, we briefly provide information on culture, climatetopography and materials comprising vernacular architecture of the city. Cultural structure With the natural port and being the origin of the trade for city of Trabzon , Akçaabat, whose history dates back to 2000 BC and has served as home for many civilizations including Hittite, Assyrian, Millet, Kimmers, Scythians, Met, Pontus and Trabzon Greek Empire has made great contributions to enhance the formation of rich city cultural structure [7]. Intensive trading activities in the city mean that intensive intra-cultural exchange is more common. Climate and Topography The city has a typical Black Sea climate, which is the humid and rainy in all seasons. The summer is hot and humid, whereas the winter is warm due to its location near the sea [8]. The fact that the prevailing wind direction is south and south-east and the direction of landscape view is north and east lead the people to face their buildings to east and north [9]. The city has topography of greater slope. The one of the most important aspects affecting the city texture is that each of the city settlement is divided by the natural stream due to its geological and topographic position.

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

Building materials and techniques Standing elevated mountains from the coasts against north-east direction and having a warm maritime climatic characteristic have caused dense vegetation cover [8]. For this, abundant wood and stone resources originating from its geography has caused to use of stone and wood in combination as building materials. The front and side faces of the most the traditional Akçaabat houses are constructed by Baghdadi technique whereas back of the houses with stone materials.

Traditional city texture-the urban conservation site-Ortamahalle The old residential districts of the city at which zones of historical textures are encountered are located on the hills south (Figure 2).

Figure2:The topography of th city and the traditional settlements Akcaabat shown in sketch plan[11]

Figure 3: The view of districts from the beach separated by streams [10]

ISVS 6, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus

Historical city textures of Akçaabat are encountered in the districts of Dürbinar, Ortamahalle, Nefsipulathane and Çolaklı all of which are separated from each other by streams (Figure 3). In this study district of Ortamahalle was chosen as an example and the analysis was performed in this district. Twenty five traditional houses in Ortamahalle district located between districts of Nefsipulathane and Dürbinar have been investigated in the field work. The analyses were conducted in settlement, plan and front level and the local vernacular architecture of the city was determined. Settlement properties As a result of the field work performed, settlement features were determined as follows: 1- Settlement depending on land 2- Steep streets with stairs 3- Houses with gardens

Figure 4: The city in 1933. [10] These four districts with the traditional houses built in altitude ranging from 50-60 to 110-120 meters constitute the city’s old identity (Figure 4). The reasons of why these houses were built in that altitude not on the shoreline is due to warm and humid climate of the shoreline. Places in higher altitude during summer are more spacious, cooler and less humid. The topography of the land is of great importance in settlement of houses. Positioning of the houses, streets created on the land are the best places allowed by the land. The traditional houses are located in the land separately depending on the topography of the land and few houses come together to form groups of houses. The houses distributed to the land one by one, sometimes within

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

their own groupings and not interrupting the view of the each other due the slope exhibits a view of harmony with the nature. (Figüre 5). The steep land and location of settlement on the hills make the accessing to the districts necessary by means of steep street with stairs. Although accessing to these districts seems difficult, they are all connected with each other with pathway on the south and getting from one street to another takes relatively short period of time. These pathways that followed the line of the topography and are located 100-110 meter altitude from the sea level are used intensively by the local people.

Figure 5: The houses not blocking the view of each other and harmony with nature [11] All of the traditional houses are in garden and oriented to the view by positioning their back side to the street. [11]. Plan Properties When the houses are examined in terms of plan, it is seen that the city does not have an agriculture dependent culture. Involved with trade has kept the people away from the agricultural culture. This is reflected in the planning of their houses. In agriculture dependent culture the barns are commonly located on the first floor of the houses. The first floors in Akçaabat houses are reserved for living space, kitchen, storage, pantry and service [12]. In the surveys with local people, it is said that many of these houses were built by the Greeks. It is northwardly that the houses constructed by Turks later have the same character with those constructed by Greeks. The shower in built-in closets and built-in cupboards are the only differences between Turks and Greek built houses. After passing the region to Turks, Turks added closet, shower and WC spaces to these Greek built houses. After the end of the field and plan study performed on 27 houses in the district of Ortamahalle, three plan types were determined. These are (Table 1) 1- Inner sofa plan type (23 samples) 2- Central sofa plan type (2 samples) 3- External sofa type (2 samples)

ISVS 6, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus

Almost all the functions of each room are done within each room as in the "Turkish House". Activities such as eating, sleeping are conducted with different staff. The rooms contain multi functions including cookers, built-in closets and cupboards within it and shower.

Table 1: Plan diagrams [11] Number of samples

Inner Sofa

First Floor

23

Central Sofa

Ground Floor

2

External Sofa

Plan Type

2

Facades Properties In terms of plan diagram, the houses having inner sofa plan diagrams are symmetric and this symmetry is reflected in facades. Facade features are as follows (Table 2); 1. Roofed houses with overhanging above the entrance (19 samples) 2. Unroofed houses with overhanging above the entrance (1 sample) 3. Non-overhanging houses (5 samples)

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

4. Houses raised one floor with sofa on the roof (2 sample) Table 2: Facades according to overhanging type[11] Facades

Houses raised one foor with sofa on the roof

NonUnroofed houses with Roofed houses w erhangin verhanging above the verhanging above the houses entrance entrance

Overhanging Situation

Number of Samples

19

1

5

2

It has been determined that 27 houses examined had the entrances at front facade. The entrance facade is the main facade with the front triangle plate. There are round or diagonal rosettes in the triangle shaped front plate. The front plate in a few examples was empty. All of these elements reflect the general characteristic of facades of traditional Akçaabat Houses (Figure 6). The most noticeable properties of the façade obtained at the end of the analysis are as follows: -Overhangs -Triangular plate or pediments -The rosettes on the triangle shaped plate -Windows with lintel

ISVS 6, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus

-Spun and dyed front facades -Number of floor -Wood strips used between the floors to differentiate the floors -The stairs to the entrance -Space of the entrance

Figure 6: Views from district of Ortamahalle

The new city texture Akçaabat are developing linearly parallel to the shore on the coasts and new residential areas are located on the flat areas near the city center (Figure 7).

Figure 7:The city texture of Akçaabat After the flood occurred in 1990, the coastal sections of the city have started to be filled. As can be seen on the map a large area of new land was obtained by filling the sea.

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

Settlement properties When examined in terms of settlement, the new city texture consisting of intensive and high-rise buildings from the shore is exactly opposite of the traditional texture. The settlement properties of the new city texture are; 1. The settlement that does not fit the climate and topography 2. Buildings away from the nature and cutting off the view of each other or adjacent to each other. 3. High-rise buildings The intensive and high rise buildings make the city weather very hot and muggy during the summer in the city having humid climate. The high rise buildings appearing just from the shore prevents sea breeze and affect the circulation of the air in the city (Figure 8).

Figure 8: The extra floor obtained from slope of the topography Due to fact that the topography of the region is steep and the area available for settlement is limited, ground of the buildings is nested into deeper by applying excavation in order to increase the number of floor. For example, a three floored building in a development plan is seen as 5 or more floored due to taking advantage of the slope of the topography (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Views from new settlement

ISVS 6, April 19-21, 2012, Famagusta, North Cyprus

The tall and intensive structuring activities cause the city cutting the connection with the sea and blocking the view of each other. Figure 9 depicts the structuring activities during the last years. Plan attributes The plan attributes of forty new houses could not be determined. When examining the plan diagrams of the new houses, the most effective component of the building is the boundary of the land in the development plan. The boundary of the building land determines the shape of the plan and the plan was made according to this boundary. No particular plan type has been determined for the new settlement. Facade attributes The new buildings do not have distinguishing features of facades. The windows were opened on the facades of the mass created according to the plan.

Conclusion Local traditional architecture, reflecting the tradition of vernacular building and settlement has not found a place in the new applications. Globalization and the construction of new settlements under pressure to respond to the needs of property may only be applied to housing. This is more pronounced especially in areas where applications cannot be inspected and no healthy planning cannot be done. The city of Akçaabat was a place with a particular settlement and vernacular architectural heritage. But the last 10 years, this rapidly growing city has turned into crappy and settlement receding from local architectural identity in terms of settlement, plan and facades. The traditional Akçaabat houses with several attributes that can be moved to the future have been disregarded in the process of the new structuring activities and are abandoned for extinction. Protected areas and registry have been created by the laws but nothing has been done to move these houses to the future. None of these references could not able be passed to the new architecture. The city center has received a lot of immigrants from its villages since 1980. This created rapid structuring activities in the city. This process cannot be rated by the citizens and local governments. The projects were developed for only housing focus without creating adequate infrastructure and evaluating cultural heritage. The connection between past and future has been cut during the last 10-15 years. This rapid and unfavorable change has brought many problems associated with it. This created many problems such as lack of feeling of possessing and belongingness and disappearing of neighbor relations. Vernacular or local architecture is important for these reasons (having no identity, alienation, and decline in social relations, lack of belongingness feeling) and is a concept providing valuable data in connecting the past to the future. Sudden disappearing of many things that have been experienced and tested for hundreds of years has adversely affected many things in terms of social and architectural meanings. The reasons effective in not allowing the pass the vernacular values to the future could be listed below in this study:

Emine Saka Akın, Hamiyet Özen

-Local government’s attitudes -People's unconscious -Getting immigrants in a fats rate -The fast activities of structuring -High economic concerns -Limited land -Not able to take advantages of local conditions....