“Sustainability Concept in Architecture via

Traditional Dwelling Fabric”

Esra Yaldız1, Dicle Aydın

1 and Süheyla Büyühşahin Sıramkaya

2

1A Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Eng.and Arc., Depart. of Architecture, Konya, Turkey

2 Selcuk University, Faculty of Architecture, Depart. of Architecture, Konya, Turkey

Abstract: Sustainability is a concept which provides to make decisions directed at the future by considering the

environment and investigates the harmony and balance between the conservation and usage of resources. The

basic support of the sustainability concept in planning is creating settlement areas in harmony with the nature or

maintain the continuance of settlement areas by making them become in harmony with the nature. In this context,

historical fabrics and traditional environments are evaluated within “sustainability” concept. The traditional

dwelling fabrics which are characterized as traditional architectural products are produced by starting from this

concept. The general characteristics of traditional dwelling fabrics handled in the scope of sustainable

architecture are their unique dynamics and components and their designs compatible with the nature,

environment and the context they are placed in. Traditional dwelling fabrics provide adaptation with the natural

conditions, topography, climate and context of the region, use traditional techniques and forms with the building

materials obtained from their environment and form healthy and comfortable living environments through the

natural insulation of the building materials. Therefore they are characterized as an important input from the

point of sustainable architecture.

The routers in the traditional dwelling design compatible with sustainability principles form the basis of this

study. These can be diversified such as the compatibility of the traditional dwelling fabrics to existing topography,

climatic data, geographical values, walkability, accessibility, building in human scale, use of green area,

building materials special to the region, building form, building shell and spatial configuration in dwellings. In

this context, it is aimed to evaluate the regional architectural approaches of traditional dwelling fabrics in

Anatolia geography according to sustainability criteria.

Keywords: Sustainability, sustainable architecture, traditional dwelling fabrics, regional architecture

1. Introduction

Traditional architecture –with broad definition- is the work of architecture without an architect reflecting the

tradition based on knowledge, experience and building culture. This broad concept includes many areas like

subsidiarity, territoriality and ethnic architecture. Traditional settlements, has contemporary, permanent and

continuous characteristics from the point of reflecting the life style of the society to the space, rational

interpretation of material and structure, the integrity of building and environment relations. In traditional

architecture – when it is consciously analyzed- it is seen that it is designed with the understanding of sustainable

architecture and can reach solutions balanced with climate.

Sustainability is a concept which provides to make decisions directed at the future by considering the

environment and investigates the harmony and balance between the conservation and usage of resources. The

basic support of the sustainability concept in planning is creating settlement areas in harmony with the nature or

maintain the continuance of settlement areas by making them become in harmony with the nature. The router

criteria in sustainable design principles is defined as site data including site selection, topography, direction,

green fabric decisions and climate data. Sustainable design criteria on the other hand can arranged such as

building form, spatial organization, building shell, material selection, use of boundless energy resources,

ISBN 978-93-86878-07-6

8th International Conference on Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil and Environment Engineering

(UPACEE-17)

Dubai (UAE) Dec. 21-22, 2017

https://doi.org/10.15242/HEAIG.H1217805 120

plumbing and circulation systems. In traditional settlements, it is possible to concretely read the decisions which

are valuable for sustainable router and design criteria. In this study, the router and design criterion in sustainable

design principles are exemplified via traditional settlements selected from Anatolia.

2. Sustainability Concept in Architecture

Sustainability can be defined as “the development fulfilling the requirements of today without conceding the

abilities of next generations to fulfil their own requirements” [1]. Sustainability is a dynamic process [2].

The sustainability in architecture is a system questioning the economical use of the sources, reuse actions

and the relationships between the built environment and the human being. The thing we define as cultural

sustainability in architecture is the duty and the responsibility of each generation to transfer the cultural values

and signs gained from the previous period to the next generations by interacting with the other cultures and

adding new ones to them [3].

3. Evaluation of Traditional Dwelling Fabrics in the Context of Sustainability

When the sustainable architecture is defined in the light of being related to the natural environment fact, it

can be described as an architectural approach which shows compatibility to the nature, climatic conditions,

society and culture in its surrounding, provides historical continuity, consumes minimum energy in production

and usage, can offer a loop in the ecosystem and uses materials those are obtained locally and can be recycled

[4]. Traditional principles have evolved over a long period of time in virtually all countries of the world. People

have developed building techniques excellently adapted to the building materials available and local conditions

such as the climate. Traditional building is a similar principle used by “simple people” (without a specific

education in building) adapting their houses to the immediate natural environment and employing locally

available materials in an economically sound and resource-efficient manner [5].When the traditional buildings

are handled in this context, it is seen that they are built with the criterion of climate data and site data including

site selection, topography, direction and green fabric decisions. Addition to this, traditional settlements can be

qualified as contemporary and permanent solutions from the point of reflecting the life style of the society to the

space, rational interpretation of material and structure, the integrity of building and environment relations. When

the traditional architecture is analyzed, it is seen that a building approach which is sensitive to environment is

adopted and solutions balanced with climate can be reached.

Settlement Characteristics

The least intervention to

topography

Opening to view

Using natural landscape

Organic roads

Using the natural environment

in its surrounding in the best

way

Aksaray Güzelyurt Traditional

Settlement

(Using the natural environment it is

located in)

Mardin Treditional Settlement

(The least intervention to the

topography)

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Settlement in a way to preserve

privacy

Respecting Street silhouette

Settlement compatible with the

climate

Karaman Ermenek Traditional

Settlement

(Orientation towards south compatible

with the climate)

Konya Kilistra Traditional

Settlement

(Settlement compatible with the

topography)

Fig.1. Settlement Characteristics

There are important effects of different climate regions, topography, building material resources and social

life on the formation of traditional dwelling fabrics in Anatolia. Therefore, traditional fabrics are defined as

buildings which are shaped by geographical location, climate, tradition-manners, and production-consumption

types and built with experience [6].

Orientation

Making use of day light

Limited openings on north facade

Using dominant wind for air

circulation

Orientation towards view

Not to interrupt each other’s day

light – sensitivity for the neighbor

building

Most compatible solution for the

existing site slope

Orientation towards sunrise

Konya Kilistra Traditional Settlement

(Orientation towards view and sun)

Aksaray Güzelyurt

(Not to interrupt each other’s day

light)

Fig. 2. Orientation

The architectural characteristics and settlement properties of traditional dwelling fabrics are formed

depending on the traditions, culture and regional data. In this formation the effect of human life and social

structure is seen. Different regional circumstances with their unique life styles form a “Regional Architectural

Language” [7]. The spaces formed by reflecting the life style on the space provide opportunity for action

diversity and dense usage.

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Formal characteristics

Intermediary space (sofa, courtyard) formation

providing thermal control

Multifunctional room order opening to

intermediary space

Number of rooms which can be increased

according to the requirements – ability to grow

Oriel reaching towards view (oriel at only one

point on the façade prevents heat loss)

Square or rectangular geometry

Plan scheme formed by the repetition of the

rooms

Aesthetical and qualified forms because of the

outer façade character and the surface

characteristics of the used materials

Mardin

(Oriel reaching towards view)

Antalya Akseki

(Kafesönü giving character to

the outer façade)

Fig. 3. Formal characteristics

Main three materials used in traditional settlements with the effect on the regional and climatic data are

stone, adobe and wood. In non-precipitation regions stone- if it exists- or if not earth (adobe) is used as building

material [8]. Especially in settlements around Aksaray, Kayseri, Nevşehir some parts of the dwellings are

formed by carving into the rock they sit on. Service rooms such as cool pantry rooms, şırahane, barn, storage and

etc. are carved in the rock. All of these diversities exposed because of the obligation of being compatible to the

climate type and local construction techniques.

Energy saving

Local material usage

Thick wall usage

Considering heat loss in

window dimensions

Using ground floors as barns

as the upper floors are warmer

Spatial organization

Components like courtyard,

eyvan and etc.

Urfa Harran Houses

(energy saving with local material usage

and formation)

Gümüşhane Kelkit

(Considering heat loss in window

dimensions)

Fig. 4. Energy saving

In traditional dwelling architecture by the use of local materials, construction methods and workmanship

developed and the thermal insulation characteristics of local materials like adobe were discovered. With the use

of natural materials, beyond the compatibility with the nature and aesthetical values, positive effect of the solar

energy is provided [9]. All of these characteristics happen to be the indicators of the sustainability thought lying

on the basis of traditional settlement formation.

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Construction Technique and Building Material

Materials to be local and found in

place

Local material selection providing

thermal comfort

Use of adobe, wood and stone

with earth roots

Ease of maintenance and repair

with the use of local materials

Short time construction process

Traditional workmanship and

providing its continuance

Minimum energy use in obtaining

the materials

Having high insulation values

Traditional methods transferred

from generations to next ones

Thermal insulation characteristics

of materials like stone, wood and

adobe

Ermenek Karaman

(use of local materials: wood and

stone)

Eskişehir

(use of wooden material on the facade)

Aksaray Güzelyurt

(use of cutten stone as building

material)

Kilistra Konya

(providing thermal comfort)

Fig. 5. Construction technique and building material

4. Conclusion

When the traditional dwelling fabrics in Anatolia are investigated;

It is seen that they are designed in the most compatible way to the nature and environmental conditions.

Traditional dwelling fabrics are located in such a way compatible with their geography, not interrupting each

other’s day light and providing both privacy and neighborhood relationships. The width of the streets in hot

regions narrows down as shaded spaces are required. Generally, orientation towards south or sunrise,

organization of the spaces according to the dominant wind, location of the open, semi-open and closed spaces to

make use of all climatic opportunities and sun and shaded spaces, the location of the sofa in plan schemes,

building materials, location and dimension of windows aim to be protected from hot or cold.

Traditional dwelling fabrics are characterized as rational solutions in the intersection of existing

possibilities and user requirements [10,11]. It is seen that there can be diversities in the building materials and

techniques according to the potentiality of the environment.

5. Acknowledgements

This paper is supported by Necmettin Erbakan University Coordinatorship of Scientific Research Projects

with 172518001-1092 project number.

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