ABSTRACT IMPROVEMENT OF ATAT&Uuml / RK STREET IN ANTALYA AS A PROBLEM OF SPATIAL CONTINUITY SAYDAM, Oya M.Arch., Department of Architecture Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Vacit MAMOGLU January 2006, 162 pages The city is a fundamental and universal human creation. It is a unique centre for social life as well as individual and collective fulfillment. However, cities have been shaped and reshaped by mere functionalistic, stylistic and materialistic aspects rather than developmental ones that incorporate social, cultural and environmental variables. The frantic, irreversible urban growth that societies throughout the world have experienced over the past few decades has caused a transformation of urban spaces and agglomerations, which rarely corresponds to expectations, and aspirations. Especially public spaces have played a key role within this transformation of the cities. In this context, conserving local public places, as a reminder of the past and an echo of the spirit of culture, is a matter of a great concern to reinstating identity and character. The thesis supports this argument by the case study of Atat&uuml / rk Street in Antalya, which suffers from disintegration and confusion because of haphazard growth, dense building, visual pollution, and degradation of the physical environment qualities. The thesis provides a detailed account of the project from initiation through problem identification, development of conceptual framework, and finally planning and architectural proposal. The case study highlights the need for a sensitive developmental approach, which harmonises the interactions between pedestrians, traffic and street furniture as well as cultural, physical environment and technical considerations. Within the scope of these criteria, the main objective of this thesis is to bring forth a project for designing new urban design components in historic context through the interpretation of objects of historical heritage and the existing qualities. Considering the critical problems affecting physical environment and causing imbalance in the lives of inhabitants in the city of Antalya, a project proposal is presented. The project has been prepared to provide solutions with simple and easy implementation, providing better harmony between man and his environment.

Sustainability, livability and quality of life have become widely and in-depth discussed issues in the literature of urban zlanning and design. This study primarily aims to investigate the concept of walkability as a part of the literature on livability. To draw a wider theoretical framework for this study, it first seeks to answer the questions of what the terms of &lsquo / livability&rsquo / and &lsquo / quality of life&rsquo / mean, and what components they constitute. Then, it focuses on the concept of &lsquo / walkability&rsquo / as one of the major components of these terms and as a measurable notion in urban design. Thus, this research seeks to define the notion of &lsquo / walkability&rsquo / and to identify a set of measures of walkability in public spaces to be used for the assessment of the &lsquo / walkability capacity&rsquo / of urban space. It should be noted that this research particularly tries to use the indicators of walkability which can directly impact on the design quality of urban space. Third, this research focuses on Mersin historic city center which has been in the process of deterioration for a while due to various current urban policies and strategies. As the case studies, it examines Uray and Atat&uuml / rk Streets which constitute the major thoroughfares of the historic city center by using the set of walkability measures. It investigates the walkability quality of four different character zones of Uray and Atat&uuml / rk Streets, and identifies their walkability capacities, problems and potentials. Finally, it suggests the policy and practical solutions on the design of these public spaces that will not only improve the walkability capacity of these streets, but also be helpful for the revitalization of the historic city center.