A pedesterianization case in the context of public interest: A pedesterianization project in eminönü historical peninsula (hobyar neighborhood and surroundings)

Abstract

Although the concept of public interest is being studied by various disciplines, it doesn’t have a specific definition. The lack of understanding the concept brings about conflicts both theoretically and in terms of how it empirically informs our understanding of this resource. As a result, the concept of public interest is not being used correctly because of its ethic and political dimensions. As generating one of the most important basis for urban planing and urban design, the deficiency of the implementation of public interest causes negative impacts on urban development. The changes forming in the urban space affect the planning and design implementations, and public space is influenced as a result of these issues. Thus, public spaces are not utilized as intended and become inactive or transition spaces. Therefore, local governments try to solve these problems by generating new policies and various applications. Pedestrianization is one of the major tools of these applications. This thesis emphasizes that the pedestrian spaces are only being used for transit purposes and do not carry or show the characteristics of urban public space and public interest. The area covering the pedestrianization project in Eminönü Hobyar Neighborhod, which is one of the most important historical districts of İstanbul, has been analyzed by survey and observation on site. The results of the empirical study show that, in the process of designing public spaces; all the participation tools have to be used, the space must appeal to all users and public interest has to be emphasized. The fact that; emerging decisions are only able to provide urban and public benefit to the extent of their effect on urban design implementation tools, surfaces as a reality. © 2015, Istanbul Teknik Universitesi, Faculty of Architecture. All rights reserved.