Landscape Architecture Students` 2022 Technical Trip

Landscape Architecture Students’ 2022 technical trip was organized between 13-17 June 2022 in order to reinforce the academic knowledge obtained during their four years of education and to contribute to their professional and personal development. The trip, which was held under the responsibility of Dr. Başak Özer, covered Ankara, Eskişehir, Bursa and Istanbul provinces.

The trip started with the historical city center of Ankara, the heart of Turkey. Ankara is hosted the periods of the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and the Ottomans, dates back to the historical Christ. In this context, many places were visited: the city fortress walls, traditional houses with bay windows, historical streets on the castle skirts which are shaped according to the topographic structure of the city; and Çıkrıkçılar Street, Pirinç Khan and Sululuhan, which have an important place in the city memory. In addition, with its historical and cultural landscape values, the Ulus Square and the structures that were planned in the early Republican period and the structures connected to this square were examined. First National Architecture Style The First TBMM, Second TMBB, Ankara Palas, Central Bank, Küçük Theater are some of these structures. In this part of the trip, information is also taken from ANFA employees about the measurement activities within the scope of a landscape application and maintenance services within the castle.

Planning and designing a variety of sports fields, from sports fields integrated to parks to specialized sports complexes according to certain branches, is one of the working areas of landscape architecture. In this context, the officially established in 1947, located in the Ulus region, Ankara Tennis Club; Open soil courts and closed concrete courts and service areas such as audience monitoring areas, locker rooms, café-restaurant, administration and activity structure.

Ankara Train Station is one of the interview points that play an important role in Ankara city planning. The trains that came here were taken, some of the Ottoman period hangars were health and modern structures were integrated into these hangars. Today, this area, which has been re-functioned as the center of modern arts of Cer Modern, is one of the examples of keeping the cultural landscape alive in urban memory. In this context, Cer Modern, who is included in the trip program, was also given information on the architectural and landscape design criteria and needs of an art center.

The second and fourth days of the technical trip covered the important historical, cultural and natural landscapes of Eskişehir city center. First of all, the historical city center Odunpazarı, which was included in the World Heritage Temporary List in 2012 by UNESCO, was visited. Odunpazarı traditional houses, inns, complexes and mosques, architectural characteristics, topographic relations, physical and sociological relationships established with public landscapes, open areas and present use of all these structures, re-functioning, landscape solutions were examined in detail. Kurşunlu Complex and Mosque, Atlıhan Handicraft Bazaar, traditional houses used as a workshop are some of these structures. Individual experiences were performed in a glass workshop from the workshops and the students made glass necklaces for themselves.

Many museums have also been visited in Odunpazarı: Odunpazarı Modern Museum, Contemporary Glass Arts Museum, Waxwork Sculptures Museum are some of them. The Modern Museum of Odunpazarı, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, offered an important technical experience not only with its architectural design but also with a ramp stair solution.

Other important routes of Eskişehir trip were important areas of the urban light green system and green infrastructure: Porsuk Stream, Kent Park, Sazova Park. Porsuk Stream has an important place in the daily life of the city with its urban corridor, pedestrianized region and the character of use of this region. The artificial beach area and children`s playgrounds designed in Kent Park were technically examined. The Sazova Park, which is an example of a thematic park, has offered important practical experiences with its amphitheater design technical solutions, details of stretching roof application, artificial waterfall design, and herbal design criteria.

The third day of the trip took place in Bursa and Istanbul provinces. Firstly, Merinos Culture Park, the second largest city park in Bursa and the Atatürk Congress and Cultural Center in this park were visited. Technical investigations have been made on a congress structure and the basic principles in the landscape design decisions of such a structure.

The second stop in Bursa was Cumalıkızık Village, whose establishment dates back to the 1300s and where civil architectural examples of the early Ottoman period can survive. This village, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2000, with its climate, vegetation, architectural structures compatible with the topography, its landscape fictions, its establishment as a foundation village, and the tradition of gathering other Kızık villages in this village for Friday prayers and so on. It is one of the important rural landscape examples.

The last stop in Bursa was the historical city center and square. Ottoman structures (khans, covered bazaars, mosques, bazaars, etc.) and public areas (streets, courtyards), which constitute the landscape character of this region, were visited. Some of the visited buildings are Ulu Mosque, Koza Khan, Emir Khan, Jewelers Bazaar.

From Bursa to Istanbul, the rural landscape texture of South Marmara was visited.

The Museum Gazhane started to serve in 1892 and is the last gazhane of Istanbul. For 101 years, the city met the lighting and fuel needs of the city, about 30 years ago, the city`s production was terminated together with other gashouses. The 130-year-old industrial heritage area was described as a culture-art-oriented “living space” and started to serve in 2021 with the characteristic of urban public space. Landscape designs, which re-functional of heritage areas, are among the important topics of today. With this importance, the museum was included in the technical trip program. The gashouse trip dated June 15th coincided with a music group`s open-air jazz and swing concert. In this way, landscape architecture students examined the use of the field during an activity and had the opportunity to see the theoretical knowledge in practice by experiencing the elements that need to be considered in landscape design (needs, materials, floor flooring, topography, drainage, etc.) on the spot.

The tour of Istanbul continued with the fact that Yogurtçu Park and the Moda seaside, which students can see through the project IV course project area, through photographs and videos on the literature, internet and social media due to their pandemi runs. All sports fields, children`s playgrounds and herbal areas have been visited in this urban landscape, which has a significant value for Istanbul for centuries, where Kurbağalıdere was connected to the Sea of Marmara. Coastal-human interaction was performed through the anroshes.

The first four days of the technical trip were realized with the philosophy of being a part of the landscape in order to better understand urban landscapes, landscape patterns, landscape characters and elements. In this way, detailed examinations were made to the upper scale subscales. Thus, each student walked at least 60 km in the first four days of the trip.

The last day of the technical trip was held in Ankara. First, the nursery of Karaoğlu Landscape, one of the well-known companies in Turkey, was made. Detailed information was obtained about plant species, office works, landscape designs and applications of the company.

Landscape design fictions of plazas and plazas are also one of the current working titles of landscape architecture, as they are mostly roof garden. From this point of view, by going to a Plaza region in Ankara; Example usage of private property areas open to public use and structural and vegetable landscape designs for these uses were examined. Children`s experiences of playing in a dry pool were also observed.

The last stop of the Landscape Architecture students’ 2022 technical trip was On Tasarım from Turkey`s leading landscape design offices. Here, a detailed and long presentation has been made on a sample project work on all business stages such as project management, design processes, budget estimate-quantities stages, tender file preparation, technical specifications, archiving. After the presentation, the students had the opportunity to meet and chat both with landscape architects and different disciplines with professional people.