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Developing an Approach for Conservation of Abandoned Rural Settlements in Turkey

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Developing an Approach for Conservation of Abandoned Rural Settlements in Turkey ITU A|Z • Vol 16 No 1 • March 2019 • 97-115 Developing an approach for conservation of abandoned rural settlements in Turkey Koray GÜLER1, Yegân KÂHYA2 1 [email protected] • Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul, Turkey 2 [email protected] • Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey Received: March 2018 • Final Acceptance: February 2019 Abstract Following the industrial revolution, abandonment and decrease of population in rural areas are common problems that can be faced all around the world, as a result of various factors. As a consequence of implemented policies and radical changes in social life, nowadays large number of rural settlements in Turkey are also in the process of abandonment. However, many of these abandoned rural settlements have invaluable vernacular assets that bear the traces of past rural life and comprise the spirit of these cultural landscape areas. Although rural heritage in depopulated settlements have melted against the natural conditions by time, some settlements succeed to preserve their authenticity and integrity to a certain extent. On the other hand in some villages, which are more crowded and close to the city centers, authenticity and integrity values of traditional architectural heritage has been destroyed by human beings as a result of new construction pres- sures. This situation accompanies a big dilemma about conservation of tradition- al architectural heritage. This article aims to discuss reasons of depopulation in countryside, impacts of abandonment, pros and cons of re-evaluation alternatives for rural settlements and to develop proposals not only for preservation of rural architectural heritage in rural regions of Turkey, but also for revitalization and sustainability of livelihoods in there. Keywords Abandoned Rural Settlements, Rural Depopulation, Rural Architectural Heritage, doi: 10.5505/itujfa.2019.48991 doi: Rural Landscape, Cultural Landscape 98 1. Introduction tural approach, building technology, Abandonment of rural settlements construction techniques, craftsman- and decrease of population in rural ar- ship and landscape features of their eas have become common problems all period and require a holistic approach around the world resulting from vari- for their protection. This article aims to 1The village of ous factors coming into play after the propose solutions by discussing possi- Sarihacılar has Industrial Revolution. However, many ble options for Turkey’s rural architec- been abandoned of these abandoned rural settlements tural heritage which is being lost due to as a consequence have invaluable vernacular assets that abandonment and neglect. of declining bear the traces of past rural life and income from embody the spirit of these cultural 2. Reasons for abandonment of rural agriculture landscape areas. The de-populization settlements and animal process leads to neglect, gradual dete- The reasons for abandonment of husbandry, which were rioration and finally the destruction of rural settlements are multidimension- the traditional the traditional environment built with al and interdependent to each other livelihood, and the experiences gained over the centu- from time to time. It can be classified the tendency of ries. These rural settlements are shaped basically into two groups as follows: out-migration by the interaction between man and Human-based or nature-based reasons from rural to nature. Accordingly, the loss of con- (Table 1). urban seen in the tinuity in habitation does not only whole country. cause the loss of cultural heritage but 2.1. Human-based reasons 2 also has negative effects on natural life, 2.1.1. Socio-cultural and economic During the First the agricultural landscape and bio-di- reasons World War and versity of these settlements. The fac- Socio-economic conditions such the years of the Turkish War of tors leading to abandonment of rural as unemployment, agricultural ineffi- Independence, settlements can be classified into two ciency, lack of public investments and the inhabitants main groups: human and nature based. services, inadequate access to educa- of the Dumanli The former can be divided into three tion, health and cultural services, lack village, who subgroups as socio-cultural and eco- of infrastructure and transportation supported the nomical, political, and other reasons facilities, distance to focal points and rebellion in (Table 1). Traditional rural settlements psychological influences, such as dis- order to establish whose vulnerabilities increase day by satisfaction with the living conditions a Greek state day reflect the everyday life, architec- caused by these circumstances, desire in the region, became lonely after the absolute Table 1. Reasons for abandonment of rural settlements. defeat of the Greek army in Western Anatolia (Tutkun, 2009: 121). Even though, the villagers from Trabzon and Gümüşhane were settled to the village instead of the inhabitants who migrated to Greece as a requirement of “The 1923 Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey”, the settlement could never regain its vitality and was abandoned in time (Tutkun, 2009: 121). ITU A|Z • Vol 16 No 1 • March 2019 • K. Güler, Y. Kâhya 99 for life in big cities, hopes for a better and conflicts, and in some cases all of life or the desire to change social sta- the traces and remains have been com- tus are grouped as socio-cultural and pletely and intentionally destroyed fol- economic reasons for abandonment of lowing the war (Figure 2). rural areas. 2.1.3. Other reasons New public or private sector invest- ments such as small or large-scale dams built on rivers, investments in wind and solar energy, unplanned growth of settlements, improper development policies, motorway, seaway or airway investments or public works and urban development activities, are examples of other elements that threaten tradition- Figure 1. A view of a village abandoned al rural environments (Figure 3). for socio cultural and economic reasons: Sarıhacılar Village in Antalya, Turkey.1 The beginning of the abandonment in rural settlements for socio-cultural and economic reasons could be linked to the Industrial Revolution that be- 3 The gan in Europe in the 18th century. depopulation The technological developments and process in mechanization of production caused the village of rural populations to accumulate in the Figure 3. A view from an abandoned village Dereuzunyer cities where factories were located. The because of human based other reasons: was started number of people working in the ag- Dereuzunyer Village in İzmir, Turkey.3 in the 1970s ricultural sector, which constitutes the after the news source of livelihood of the rural pop- Following the legal restrictions in- about a dam ulation, declined and migration from troduced by conservation boards in construction rural areas to urban centres was accer- some of the multi-layered rural set- in the region elated because of change in production tlements located on an archaeological (Kâhya et systems from traditional form towards site, settled continuously since ancient al, 2018). mechanization (Figure 1). times and bearing traces of different Following the civilizations above or below ground government 2.1.2. Political reasons/conflicts (Bilgin Altınöz, 2006:1), it is seen that decision of Factors causing loss of population local communities willingly leave their expropriation in rural settlements such as wars, living environment because of the in- in 2014, the conflicts, terrorist incidents, securi- ability to sustain their lives or through village has been ty issues, forced migrations, political the expropriation decisions. Pollution completely discrimination, and racism have been and environmental degradation are- abandoned. grouped as political reasons. Over the another reasons for depopulation in In the near years, many urban and rural settle- rural settlements. Being located above future, on ments have been devastated by wars high-valued mine reserves, or exhaus- completion of tion of reserves could also cause migra- the Rahmanlar tion from rural settlements. Dam, all of the settlement and 2.2. Nature-based reasons agricultural Natural constraints or natural disas- areas of ters like earthquakes, fires, floods, ero- Dereuzunyer sion, landslides, volcanic eruptions and will, avalanches which cannot be foreseen unfortunately, and occur suddenly are nature-based be submerged Figure 2: A view from an abandoned village reasons for abandonment of rural set- by dam waters because of politic reasons: Dumanlı Village tlements (Figure 4). (Kâhya et al, in Gümüşhane, Turkey.2 Even though climate change and 2018). Developing an approach for conservation of abandoned rural settlements in Turkey 100 life in the region continues, in some ar- eas traditional farming practices have been abandoned and terraces where agricultural products had previously been planted have been left to nature. 90% of these cultural landscape areas, which were damaged by excessive rain- fall in 2011, are abandoned or uncul- tivated agricultural terraces (Agnoletti, Figure 4: A view from an abandoned village 2014: 69). Agricultural products in the because of nature based reasons: Roghudi uncultivated agricultural terraces have Village in Calabria Region, Italy (Italian been covered over the years by Scots 4 Ways, 2014). pines and mediterranean shrubs, and global warming are caused by human cultural landscapes have been dam- activity in the world,
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