Reading Urban Spaces by the Space Syntax Method: A Proposal for the South Haliç Region

Deniz Erinsel Önder1, Yıldırım Gigi2 1Yıldız Technical University, , 2Aydın University, Turkey [email protected], [email protected] Abstract: For a designer-architect to be able to make accurate predictions for any particular urban space, he/she needs to know the development stages of the city, as well as the city’s various features across time. Thus, it is necessary to read the different segments that constitute the city to reveal its historical, cultural, social, physical and symbolic features. The aim of this study is to determine the social and physical problems of a historical urban space and subsequently to introduce physical and functional suggestions to improve the identified problems, and for the development of the area. The South Haliç Area was chosen as a work-space because of its special importance in protecting the historical and cultural heritage found there and transferring it to future generations. With this in mind, in addition to literature studies, on-site observations and interviews, the area has been analyzed and evaluated using the space syntax method. The suggestions developed for the identified problems and solutions have been re-analyzed, and both the present data and the data obtained after the suggestions have been examined and the results have been presented. Keywords: Reading space; space syntax; The South Haliç Region.

Introduction- reading the city Yücel (1979) emphasizes that it is necessary to make some abstractions in order to handle the space The city is a living organism; it goes through constant conceptually and theoretically, addressing architec- change and transformation, relating dynamically tural theories on this subject in three categories. The to all sorts of elements, alive or non-living, located functional approach is the most distinct in the first within its present structure. A designer-architect of these. Yücel regards the realities of economical, can make accurate predictions for a particular urban cultural, historical, technological, ecological and so- space only if he/she knows the development stages cial practices sufficient for the explanation of spatial of the city, as well as its various features across time. environment. The second one involves placing the Therefore, it is necessary to read the different seg- spatial elements within the principles of morphol- ments that constitute the city to reveal its historical, ogy, and the last presents analyses related to spatial cultural, social, physical and symbolic features. When typology and urban morphology within a linguistic the literature on readability is examined, we see that and structuralist framework. the discipline makes use of different theoretical ap- In this study, the approaches to reading space proaches and methods for reading an urban space. are divided into two groups:

Session 24: City Modelling 2 - eCAADe 27 827 The first group is reading based on objective relationships have a direct impact on the feature of data. Here, we include studies assessing the system- readability of the cities (Hillier, B., Hanson, J., and Pe- atic knowledge and theories about reading space ponis, J., 1987). based on the researcher’s observations. Krier (1979), Recently, the method known as “Space Syntax”, identifying building types, questions how all these in which the urban space is analyzed based on ob- come together in a context, rhythm and spatial or- jective data free from users, is among the space ganization, while Rossi (1982) addresses structure reading methods often used by researchers. Not and morphology with respect to pattern, ways, con- only does such analysis prove useful for obtaining tinuity and closeness. Trancik (1986), identifies two results that combine physical space and life and thus groups: strong areas, with standpoints, surfaces and establish relations with the social structure, but also, boundaries, and soft areas, exhibited by symbols sub-concepts such as axial analysis, natural mobility, and contrasts. Connection and control values, Spatial interaction In the second group are experiments that are values, Readability, Predictability, and Utilization designed based on subjective data or studies that permanency can be explained. formalise the abstract knowledge with the help of mental maps. These fall into three subgroups: stud- The aim and the scope of the study ies about finding directions in urban space (Raubal, M., Egenhofer, MJ., 1998; Herzoh and Leverich 2003; The aim of the study is to: Abu-Obeied, 1998; O’Neill 1991); studies about land- • Identify the social and physical problems of the mark elements (Lamit, 2004; Erem and Erkman, historical part of a city 2003); and studies about the degree of complexity • Propose physical and functional suggestions for of spatial pattern (Başkaya, A., Wilson, C.,et.al., 2004; solving the detected problems and for the de- Abu-Obeid, 1998). velopment of the area. The following researchers are categorized as The South Haliç Area was chosen as a work space post positivists because they evaluate information because of the importance of protecting the histori- provided by the user, but they are also categorized cal and cultural heritage there and of transferring as positivist because of their insistence on quantify- those assets to future generations. With this in mind, ing the information: in addition to literature studies, on-site observations Lynch (1960) reads the city with the help of five and interviews, the area has been analyzed and eval- main elements, namely, boundaries, symbolic ele- uated using the space-syntax method. Suggestions ments/landmarks, intersection points, ways and were developed to alleviate the determined prob- nodes. Norberg-Schulz (1971) starts from an exis- lems. In addition to suggestions for the entire urban tential space concept based on the idea that the de- area, four different extensive projects were carried signer and the reader of the city are not the same, out for four smaller areas. One of them is presented and neither are the features of the space and the in- in the study. formation and image that it conveys, and evaluates the city’s three main categories: node and place, axes Space syntax method in reading urban and ways, and areas and region. space According to Hillier and his associates, there are two important features of a city. First, a city has Space syntax is a method for reading space devel- both permanent spaces and moving individuals. The oped by a research team, led by Bill Hiller and Julline second one is the relationship between the local Hanson in Bartlett School College London in the late and the global structural features of the city. These 1970s and early 1980s, for the purpose of identifying

828 eCAADe 27 - Session 24: City Modelling 2 constructed spaces. While the space-syntax method The importance of the south Haliç region, proves useful for reading the space objectively, it its problems and potentials also maintains that there is a direct relation between physical structure and social structure. Especially in The historical peninsula has been the trade and the open spaces of a city, it exposes the potential of administration centre of for centuries. The people to get together by superimposing the field of physical, cultural and social changes taking place operation and the field of view. on the peninsula throughout history help create In this study, we used the criteria called “integra- İstanbul’s present identity. It has a rich cultural, so- tion value”, one of the parameters of the formation cial and architectural value. Moreover, it is an impor- features of the space syntax method. The analysis tant piece of the world’s cultural heritage. The Haliç starts with the expression of spatial axes; viewpoints coasts of the historical peninsula constituted the in space influence where the axes are drawn. Once backbone of the city, since it formed a natural harbor the axial maps are completed, they are fed into a throughout the historical development of the city. programme that executes the required calculations. In the 19th century, with the start industrializa- At the end of the process, the colors changing from tion within the Ottoman Empire, several factories dark blue into blue and green, or from yellow into or- and industrial buildings started to locate along the ange and red, indicate the sub-spaces where urban Haliç coast and in the Topkapı region, a practice that space is integrated and disintegrated. The spaces de- continued during the Republic Period and into the scribed with the color red in the map are the most 1980s. This industrial zone led to environmental pol- integrated spaces. These are open spaces serving lution on one hand and increased emigration, due to both local users and visitors. The spaces described the employment opportunities created by factories, with the color red and its tones merge at one point on the other hand. globally (Rn), the integration core of the settlement. According to findings from a literature review, When axial map analyzed locally (R3), more than one inventories and documents, as well as on-site obser- core appears; this is the relation of every three sub- vations and interviews, the potential and problems spaces in the system among themselves. They are of the region are as follows. the areas that offer more service to the local user and • The number of unmovable cultural assets in are “more special” (Hillier and Hanson, 1984). the region is 403 (Anonymous, 2006). Although Readability is determined by the relationship some of the buildings are being used today, between global integration and local integration many of them could not be occupied and have values. For a space to be comprehensible, the corre- started to become dilapidated. lation coefficient of the global and local integration • The built environment has been constructed values needs to be around 45%. High values indicate without any relationship with the coast. comprehensibility and low values indicate that the • There are only 14 buildings related to tourism in space cannot be comprehended easily. the region (Anonymous, 2006). To sum up, Space Syntax is a method that can be • Most of the green areas in the region are along used to assess the designing decisions belonging to the Haliç Coast. The use of wide green areas is social, cultural organization of space, in the city and limited due to a lack of supportive functions and at the building level that produces objective data. of cultural understanding of green area use. Within this study, it is implemented in the South • Thanks to the big motorways surrounding the Haliç Region. region on three sides, the region is easy to reach.

Session 24: City Modelling 2 - eCAADe 27 829 Yet, the speed on the motorways is high, break- Suggestions for the region ing the region’s connection to the larger envi- ronment, especially for pedestrians. Establishing visual relation for the Before we describe suggestions for the region, monumental structures-increasing their we need to state that the South Haliç Region has values been analyzed using the Space Syntax method to In order to increase the perceptibility of the monu- collect objective data in addition to the problems mental structures, we suggest cleaning up their sur- and potentials listed above. The findings obtained at roundings as much as possible, creating urban open the end of the analysis are stated below. spaces within the city pattern, suitable to the scale of the region, and making the landmarks one of the Space syntax analysis related to present components of readability and distinctiveness. situation of the region Additionally, we opened new boulevards, cut- In order to understand the physical features of the ting up the blocks that visually and functionally split space, and to see the effects of these features on hu- up the axes used by the visitors in important areas. man movements, an axial map of the work place was These new axes established users’ visual relation prepared and evaluated with the help of Depthmap with the landmarks in the region, and a connection software. Global integration values (Rn) and local between the user and the coast was created in some integration values (R3) of the spaces were obtained places. Moreover, it became easier for the users to from this map. orient themselves, minimizing the feeling of being As a result of the analysis, the region constituted lost. by the Yavuz Selim and Şeyhresmi neighbourhoods includes the axes with the highest Rn and R3 values. Strengthening the connections of the region In other words, these neighbourhoods form the core with the other sub-regions in the Historic of the region. The regions with the lowest integra- Peninsula tion value are the axis of - Edirnekapı that In order to increase the accessibility of the region constitutes the north border of the research site, the and to strengthen the connections of pedestrians Zeyrek-Unkapanı axis that constitutes the south bor- and vehicles, we suggest providing direct pedestrian der, and a part of -Balat region. When we look entries from other sub regions to the research site, at the areas with the lowest integration values, we anticipating that these entries would arrive at urban see that they were least affected by the restructuring open spaces in the research area. Thus, these con- after 1960 and thus were able to protect the organic nection points provided both accessibility and the urban pattern. When we superpose these analyses feature of an urban gathering space. The points for on maps of the present structure stock, we achieve which we suggested pedestrian connections are as an important result: the present structures and areas follows: of important cultural-historical values are mostly lo- • A Saraçhane connection from the Eminönü-Sul- cated in the boundaries where the integration value tanahmet Region of the region with the system is low. For instance, the • A Karagümrük connection from the Aksaray Re- Molla Zeyrek Mosque, Zeyrek Houses, Tekfur Palace, gion Anemas Dungeons and Kariye Museum are located • An Edirnekapı connection from the Topkapı Re- in this region. As a result of these problems, we as- gion sert the need to take precautions and make sugges- • An Ayvansaray connection from the Eyüp Region tions in order to revitalise the South Haliç Region. • A Fener dock connection from the Beyoğlu Re- gion

830 eCAADe 27 - Session 24: City Modelling 2 Giving new functions to the region motorway and the walls. Another suggestion is to In order to stimulate the region’s potential to in- save the outer sides and inside of the İstanbul Walls crease the integration of the historical and cultural from the poor quality buildings closely built near the assets in the region with the larger system and to Walls. Therefore, a walking path was created along make a contribution to the economic, social and cul- the walls starting from Edirnekapı and ending in Ay- tural structure of the region, we suggest adding new vansaray. The surface of the walls and the towers on functions related to tourism. this path could be used for visual displays and tem- We propose using certain regions to connect porary exhibitions. currently disconnected regions and structures in Moreover, three important stop points were des- such a way as to constitute a circulation route for ignated on the path. The first is the Tekfur Palace; it tourism. In proposing these regions, we considered would be an important stop along the southwest including the present and future urban open spaces direction of the path. The second stop is the Ane- into the system an important criterion. mas Dungeons. Third, the İvaz Efendi Mosque has a Within the framework of the proposal identi- suitable installation area for purposes like a museum fied above, we defined five points to be taken into or exhibition. The last point on the walking path is consideration: the double-hull building, located at the Ayvansaray • The region should be at the connecting points section of the walls. Works of art could be exhibited with other sub-regions. as well as placards giving information on histori- • The region should contain sufficient amounts of cal, cultural and social structures of the region. This salient building stock. designated walking axis would be integrated with • Besides qualified, well-located buildings, the the Fener-Balat walking path from the east and region should contain a well-organised urban the pedestrian entryways that will be made from pattern. Edirnekapı. • The region should be accessible through differ- The above suggestions were transferred into the ent transportation options (seaway as well as site plan and evaluated by the space syntax method. motorways). The findings obtained in the analysis and evaluation • The region should have sufficient amounts of are below. green space. Taking these criteria into consideration, the re- Analysis of the suggested project by the space gions of Saraçhane, Zeyrek, Fener and Ayvansaray syntax method were chosen as work places, and four different areas In order to understand the physical features of the were designed. However, in the paper only presents suggested project, and to see the effects of these the sample suggestion for the northwest walls and features on human movements, an axial map of the the Ayvansaray region. The suggestions were drawn study site was prepared and evaluated with the help on the regional site plan, and axial maps were com- of Depthmap software. Global integration values pleted and evaluated. (Rn) and local integration values (R3) of the spaces were obtained from axial map. Schema for the suggested project/ north west As a result of the changes, the average Rn in- walls and Ayvansaray region tegration value in the suggested project rose from We suggest connecting the Eyüp sub-region with 0,72 to 0,73. The five axes with the highest Rn global the Ayvansaray region, so that visitors could walk integration values have the same value as the pres- instead of using vehicles. For this reason, a visitor ent axis. Only the 4th and the 5th axes, having the parking lot was placed in the area between the O-1 highest integration values, switched places. Since

Session 24: City Modelling 2 - eCAADe 27 831 the axis with the highest integration value did not Figure 1 Schema for the suggested change, the core area of the system did not change project either. When we look at the axes with the lowest Rn integration value, we see that the axes concentrated around Zeyrek Region in the present situation would move towards axes in the Ayvansaray Region after the suggested project. We also see that the axes with low values in the present situation got higher values after the suggestion While the average R3 integration value is 1,79 in the present situation, it rose to 1, 83 in the suggested project. While 2 of the 5 axes in the present situation, which have the highest R3 (local) integration values, are in the first 5, the other 3 axes’ R3 values increased. In the readability graphic, we detected that the angle of the line that combines the averages of the axes in the region with the X-axis rose from 25 de- grees to 28 degrees. Although this value is below 45 degrees, there has been an increase of 3 degrees compared to the present situation. In conclusion, the integration values of the sys- tem in the suggested project increased, as did the level of readability, when compared to the present situation.

Figure 2 (left) Readability of existing pattern

Figure 3 (right) Readability of suggested pattern

832 eCAADe 27 - Session 24: City Modelling 2 Conclusion Two Polycclinics, Environment and Behaviour, 36, pp. 839. The South Haliç Region has been analyzed using Erem, Ö. ve Erkman, U.: 2003, Tatil Köylerinin the space syntax method, a tool that provides ob- Okunabilirliğinde Çevre İşaretlerinin Rolü, jective data for reading the city. The project, which İtüdergisi/A, 2/ 1, S. 51-59. was designed to solve the problems identified in the Herzog,T.R., Leverich,O.,L.: 2003, Searching for Legibility, analysis, was examined again with the same method, Environment and Behaviour, 35, pp.459-477. and the results were presented based on the present Hillier, B., Hanson J., 1984, The Social Logic of Space, situation and to the suggestion. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Analysis of the research site following the sug- Hillier, B., Hanson,J., and Peponis, J.: 1987, Syntactic gested projects concluded that formerly isolated Analysis of Settlements, Architecture and Behav- regions of the system, namely, the Zeyrek, Fener- iour., 3/3, pp. 217-231. Balat and Ayvansaray regions, became much more Krier, R.:1979, Urban Space, Academy Editions, London. integrated into the system. This progress observed Lamit, H.: 2004, Redefining Landmarks, Jurnal Alam in these regions was also seen in the system overall. Bina, Jilid 6, 1. The global integration value (Rn), which is 0,72 in Lynch, K.: 1960, The Image of the City, MIT Press, Cam- the present situation, changes to 0,73. Similarly, the bridge. local integration value (R3) of 1,79 in the present Norberg-Schulz, C.: 1971, Existence, Space and Architec- situation rose to 1,83. The level of readability of the ture, Studio Vista, London. urban space increased 3 degrees. Raubal, M., & Egenhofer, M.: 1998, Comparing The Com- Opening the city for visitors in addition to local plexity of Wayfinding Tasks in Built Environments, In users will contribute to the social, physical and eco- Environment & Planning B, 25 (6), pp. 895-913. nomic value of the region, since it is regarded as an Rossi, A.: 1982, Architecture of the City, Boston, The MIT important part of the world’s cultural heritage. Func- Press. tions intended for tourism and investments in the re- O’Neill, M.J.: 1991, Evaluation of a Conceptual Model of gion will provide improvements in the infrastructure Architectural Legibility, Environment and Behav- and superstructure. In this way, present historical, iour, 23(3), pp.259-284. cultural and social assets will be preserved the future Trancik, R.: 1986, Finding Lost Space, Theories of Urban with minimum disruption. Design, Library of Congress Cataloging in Publica- tion Data. References Yücel, A.: 1979, Mekan Okuma Aracı Olarak Tipolojik Çözümleme, Çevre, (der: Pultar, M.) Yapı ve Tasarım, Abu-Obeid, N.: 1998, Abstract and Scenographic Imag- Çevre ve Mimarlık Bilimleri Derneği, Ankara. ery: The Effect of Environmental Form on Wayfind- ing, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 18, 159- 173. Anonim: 2006, İstanbul Metropoliten Planlama ve Kent- sel Tasarım Merkezi, “İstanbul Planı İçin Mekansal Strateji Raporu (yayınlanmamış), İstanbul. Anonim: 2007, Faaliyet Raporu, Ulaşım A.Ş yayını, İstanbul. Başkaya, A., Wilson, C.,vd.: 2004, Wayfinding in an Un- familiar Environment:Different Spatial Settings of

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