The evaluation of the integration of industrial heritage areas to urban landscape: The case study of sumerbank kayseri cotton factory

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop an urban design strategy for the revitalization of post-industrial areas and the railway line in Kayseri–an industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. With the developments in 1930s, Kayseri became one of the modern cities of the Turkish Republic. In parallel with the world’s history of industrialization, Kayseri Sümerbank Cotton Factory was established in 1935 nearby the rail line in order to benefit from transportation and marketplace facilities. The current design of the Factory is characterized by the hostile layout of the railway tracks, which inhibits pedestrian access and segregates the area from the city center. This segregated circumstance is evaluated and new design strategies are developed with the aim of converting the isolated area into an innovative park design including sustainable, mixed-used functions for creating a pedestrian-friendly environment. The basic concepts and the methods of Space syntax are adapted to develop a new strategy for this Brownfield site by analyzing the relationship between the urban form, the pattern of movement and space use. The proposed design project is an integrated approach to land-use, transportation, green space and sustainable development that will create a framework for the future growth of the City of Kayseri and lead to a vibrant and livable city with an enhanced quality of urban life.