Yer bağlılığı ve sosyal sürdürülebilirlik ilişkisinin kurtuluş semti üzerinden okunması
The relationship between place attachment and social sustainability: The case of kurtuluş district
Yazar: İREM OĞUZ
Danışman: PROF. DR. GÜLÇİN PULAT GÖKMEN
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / Kentsel Tasarım Ana Bilim Dalı / Kentsel Tasarım Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2024
Konu: Mimarlık = Architecture
Dizin: Sosyal sürdürülebilirlik = Social sustainability ; Yere bağlılık = Place attachment

Özet:
Küreselleşme kavramı akademik çalışmalarda, dünya genelinde artan çevresel sorunlarla birlikte.  Günümüzde sürdürülebilirlik kavramı ile birlikte ele alındığı izlenmektedir. Araştırmalarda, sürdürülebilirlik kavramının bütüncül doğası gereği, fiziksel, çevresel ve ekonomik boyutlarının yanı sıra sosyal boyutunun da dikkate alınması önemli görülmektedir. Sosyal sürdürebilirlik, insan ve çevre etkileşiminin öncelikli olduğu, sosyal etkileşimin desteklendiği, eşitlikçi ve kültürel değerlerin sürdürüldüğü bir modeli ifade etmektedir. Sosyal sürdürülebilirliğin sağlandığı kentlerde, yerin sosyal değerleri ve fiziksel çevresi korunarak, yerin anlamının da sürdürülmesi sağlanmaya çalışılmaktadır. Yerin anlamının ve bireylerdeki algısının korunmasının kullanıcıların yer bağlılığını arttırdığı düşünülmektedir. Yer bağlılığı, artan etkileşim ve sahiplenme duygusuyla birlikte, o yeri koruma davranışı ve tutumunu oluşturarak sürdürülebilir toplulukların oluşumuna katkıda bulunmaktadır. Yer bağlılığı ve sosyal sürdürülebilirlik arasında karşılıklı ve sürekli bir ilişki bulunduğu ifade edilmektedir.
Tezde kentsel mekânda sosyal sürdürülebilirliğin bireylerin yer bağlılığı hissi ile ilişkili olduğu ve bu ilişkinin güçlü olduğu yerlerde mekânın yaşam kalitesinin olumlu bir biçimde geliştiği düşüncesinden yola çıkılmıştır. Bireyde oluşan yer bağlılığı ile mekânın sosyal sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlandığını ve mekânı koruma davranışının oluştuğunu ortaya koymak amaçlanmıştır. Tezde yer bağlılığı kavramı yer, kişi, süreç kavramları üzerinden ele alınmakta, sosyal açıdan sürdürülebilir olan kentlerde sürdürülebilirliğe katkı sağlayan özellikler bu kavramlar üzerinden incelenmektedir. Yerlerin fiziksel ve sosyal özellikleri, bireysel ve kolektif bağlantılar ve zaman içerisinde gelişen, bireylerin bir yere bağlanmasını etkileyen duygu, etki ve davranışlar sosyal sürdürülebilirlik perspektifiyle ele alınarak detaylandırılmaktadır. 
Kentlerde gündelik yaşamda yer ile insanlar arasında karşılıklı olarak etkili ve dönüştürücü bir süreç söz konusudur. Yer bağlılığı kavramı, insan-mekân etkileşimi temeline dayanan, duygusal bir bağ ve bir yere atfedilen anlam olarak tanımlanabilir. Yere bağlılık, bir yerde geçirilen zaman ve deneyimler yoluyla zamanla gelişen, çok boyutlu ve karmaşık bir olgudur.  Tez kapsamında bir mekâna bağlılık hisseden kullanıcıların o mekâna karşı koruyucu bir tutum ve davranış sergileyerek sosyal açıdan sürdürülebilir kentlerin varlığına katkı sağladığı savunulmaktadır. 
Tezde kentlerde, bir mekânın fiziksel ve sosyal değerlerinin korunmasını sağlayan, kullanıcılar için topluluk bağları ve komşuluk ilişkileri ve süreç içerisinde sürdürülebilirliği sağlayan sosyal etkileşim ve katılım faktörleri, sosyal sürdürülebilirliğin incelenmesinde alt başlıklar olarak seçilmiştir. Sosyal açıdan sürdürülebilir mekânlarda mevcut fiziksel özellikler, korunmuş kent imajı, gelenekler, komşuluk ilişkileri ve etkileşimler gibi unsurların bireylerin bulundukları yerin anlamını sürdürmelerine yardımcı olduğu görülmektedir. Sürdürülebilir kentlerde korunmuş mekân algısının bireylerin yer bağlılığı duygusunu artırdığı düşünülmektedir.
Tezin alan araştırması İstanbul'un Kurtuluş semtinde gerçekleştirilmiş, derinlemesine görüşmeler yapılmış, görüşmelerde tekrarlanan kavram ve cümlelerden kişiler için kelime bulutları oluşturulmuş, sonra tüm görüşmeler birlikte ele alınarak değerlendirilmiştir.
Sosyal sürdürülebilirlik ve mekân bağlılığı kavramlarının birbirlerini sürekli etkileyen ve birbirlerinden etkilenen iki kavram olduğu görülmektedir. Bu çalışmanın sosyal sürdürülebilirlik ve yer bağlılığı arasındaki karmaşık ilişkinin derinlemesine anlaşılmasına ve sürdürülebilir topluluklar inşa etme sürecinde bilinçli ve etkili stratejiler geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmekte, gelecekte kentlerin planlanmasında bu tür özelliklere sahip yerleşimlerin incelenerek, özelliklerinin yeni projelere örnek oluşturması önemli görülmektedir.

Abstract:
The interaction between place and people is a mutually influential and transformative process. This process encompasses not only the attachments individuals form with spaces but also the effects these attachments have on individuals. Place attachment is an emotional connection and meaning attributed to a place based on the interaction between humans and spaces. This multidimensional and complex phenomenon develops over time through individuals' experiences and the time they spend in a place. In this context, place attachment is shaped by unique emotional experiences with a place and expresses their connections to environments where they tend to stay and feel comfortable and safe. Place attachment plays a crucial role in the identity and self-definition of individuals and societies. It is seen as an emotional tie that goes beyond cognition, preference, or judgment and is considered a fundamental human need. This attachment increases through users' preservation of the meaning of a place and their perception of it, thereby contributing to the preservation of that place by enhancing users' connection to it.
Globalization, the climate crisis, and increasing environmental issues have made the concept of sustainability increasingly important in various fields of study, policy-making, and urban planning. While the environmental dimensions of sustainability have been extensively examined, it has emerged that equal attention should be paid to its social dimension due to the holistic nature of the concept. Social sustainability refers to a model where human and environmental interaction is prioritized, social interaction is supported, and egalitarian and cultural values are sustained. Social sustainability enhances living conditions in cities by creating viable harmony and promoting equality and social justice. This concept encompasses an understanding that encourages human participation, improves social progress, welfare, and living conditions, ensures social cohesion, and evolves to pass on to present and future generations. In urban spaces where social sustainability is achieved, it is observed that the preservation of social values and the physical environment of a place and the preservation of the meaning of the place for users are ensured, creating a positive impact on individuals.
There is a mutual and continuous relationship between place attachment and social sustainability. Social sustainability encourages an environment conducive to the harmonious coexistence of culturally and socially diverse groups and promotes social integration. These relationships require identifying the interaction between social sustainability and place attachment and understanding the complex dynamics of sustainable communities. Examining the impact of place attachment on the preservation of cities is essential due to the scattered nature of these two concepts in the literature and their lack of consensus.
This study aims to investigate the interaction between social sustainability and place attachment, understand the complex dynamics of sustainable communities, and examine place attachment's role in preserving cities. To establish the conceptual structure of the thesis, existing studies were examined through a literature review. Although various studies on place attachment and social sustainability exist, there is a noticeable lack of research directly addressing the relationship between these concepts. This gap underscores the significance and contribution of this study.
Scannell and Gifford (2010) proposed a three-dimensional system comprising person, place, and process to better examine studies and analyses related to place attachment. This conceptual model was adapted to the topic of social sustainability and supplemented with sub-components and interactions to explain the relationship between the two main perceptions. Thus, a more comprehensive and detailed analysis of the dynamics between social sustainability and place attachment has been ensured. Considering that the formation of place attachment and its transformation over time is based on the interaction between individuals and places, the identified sub-components were carefully aligned with the dimensions of person, place, and process. Under the concept of place attachment, components such as social bonds, emotional connections, cognitive perceptions, behaviors, and the physical and social characteristics of the place were detailed. Within the scope of the impression of social sustainability, the physical and social characteristics of the place, neighborhood relationships, and social interactions were considered fundamental sub-components.
In the third part of the conceptualization and definition section of the thesis, the relationship between these two main concepts and how the identified sub-headings are related to each other were explained. Dynamic interactions between place attachment and social sustainability and how these interactions are shaped through sub-components were examined in detail.
In socially sustainable areas, important factors such as physical features and preserved cultural values alongside neighborhood relationships and interactions contribute to individuals maintaining the meaning of their location. Persons who feel attached to a place exhibit attitudes and behaviors aimed at preserving and perpetuating that place. As a result of these attitudes and behaviors, the preservation of the existing social and physical fabric and the sustainability of the meaning of the place for individuals are ensured. It is observed that place attachment and social sustainability are two interrelated phenomena. Sequential processes are the formation of place attachment in individuals, the increasing sense of belonging and ownership over time, the formation of protective behavior, and the achievement of social sustainability.
Factors such as familiarity with the physical environment and preserved social values in a place, the presence of a shared historical past and culture, positive effects, and cognitive processes are among the factors that contribute to the formation of place attachment in individuals. Positive feelings towards a place and increased interaction with it, the strengthening of neighborhood relationships, and the sense of community increase the attachment and interaction of individuals feeling committed to a place. Increased awareness and sensitivity towards problems threatening the existing social and physical fabric of the place lead to the development of protective behavior in individuals. Contributing to the preservation of existing social and physical values and exhibiting behaviors aimed at preserving and improving their location, users who feel attached to a place contribute to preserving its social values and social sustainability.
The relationship between these two concepts was tested with a field study conducted in the Kurtuluş neighborhood. The study revealed several key findings:
•	Traditions are important for neighborhood residents, and they contribute to neighborhood cohesion by preserving them through various cultural activities.
•	The unique historical past and strong social values of Kurtuluş emerged as significant factors increasing the residents' place attachment.
•	The adoption of existing traditions and social values strengthens the sense of community and enhances neighborhood relationships.
•	Residents of neighborhoods with strong social interaction and solidarity generally feel a sense of belonging to the neighborhood and perceive living there as a privilege.
•	The strong sense of place attachment developed in individuals enables them to take ownership of the neighborhood and its problems and to act together to find solutions. This demonstrates that the neighborhood's residents have successfully obtained what they require from local and central governments.
•	All these positive efforts and solidarity demonstrate that the neighborhood is socially sustainable.
The field study conducted demonstrates that the physical characteristics of a place are most closely related to cognitive attachment, as they evoke memories and recollections. It was also found that the social characteristics of a place are connected to neighborhood relations, indicating that social life and traditions are linked with neighborhood interactions. Moreover, attachment at the societal level is most strongly associated with behavior, which emerges from moments of mutual aid and solidarity within the neighborhood. Social interaction is linked to neighborhood relations, affect, continuity, and the desire to preserve the place. Strengthening neighborhood relations and enhancing positive emotions through social interaction are significant factors in this context. Affect is associated with neighborhood relations and the desire for preservation, with positive emotions increasing preservation behaviors. Cognitive concepts are related to physical characteristics because they trigger memories.
Understanding the interaction between social sustainability and place attachment helps to appreciate the complex dynamics of sustainable communities and investigate place attachment's impact on urban preservation. This provides a solid foundation for creating sustainable cities. Sustainability, whose primary goal is to ensure the continuity of human existence, can be achieved primarily by understanding the interaction between humans and places. This study examines individuals' strong relationships with places and their contributions to social sustainability, laying the groundwork for future research in different locations. In the future, as such settlements increase in cities, it is important to develop social sustainability and place attachment awareness throughout the city.
The research highlights the relationship between place attachment and social sustainability, emphasizing the need to consider these elements in urban planning processes. Local authorities can utilize the findings to develop and implement strategies for preserving and enhancing the existing social and physical fabric. Additionally, similar evaluations in other contexts can explore how social sustainability can be supported in various settings. The thesis suggests that the level of awareness and sensitivity among local residents is critical for contributing to the social sustainability of cities through their participation in problem-solving. Therefore, it is essential for local governments and planners to develop policies aimed at increasing community awareness on these issues. Future studies should explore this topic in different contexts, as the increase in such settlements highlights the importance of fostering awareness of social sustainability and place attachment throughout the city.
By integrating the concepts of place attachment and social sustainability, urban planners and policymakers can create environments that not only meet the physical needs of residents but also foster a sense of community and belonging. This approach ensures that cities can evolve sustainably, preserving their unique social and cultural identities while adapting to the challenges of the future. Moreover, the future of senior cohousing lies in its ability to continually evolve and integrate new technologies, sustainable practices, and community-oriented design principles. This adaptability ensures that senior cohousing will remain a viable and attractive housing option for older adults, promoting well-being, independence, and a sense of community for generations to come. As such settlements increase in cities, it becomes crucial to develop and nurture an awareness of social sustainability and place attachment throughout urban areas. This awareness will be vital in fostering cohesive, resilient communities that can thrive in the face of changing societal and environmental conditions.