Evaluation of the Kadıköy Hasanpasa Gasworks in the context of sustainable urban design

Abstract

Changing and developing technology has influenced the field of industry just as it has in many sectors of the society. Many buildings that were built for industrial purposes have outlived their function. These out-dated buildings have become like broken scabs in our cities, as functional aging appears. These empty and outdated buildings must be refunctionalized so as not to become a security threat to our cities, by becoming hosts to crime scenes and criminals. Refunctionalizing these buildings is crucial to cultural sustainability. The Architects Council of Europe (ACE) policy suggests the following idea about architecture and sustainability: extensions of the life of a current building or adaptation of a building going through functional aging will enable resources to be used more efficiently. Hasanpasa Gasworks is located in the Kadi{dotless}köy district of Istanbul. It was established via French, German and Italian technologies in order to meet the gas needs of the Anatolian side of Istanbul in 1891. The Gasworks subsequently operated until it was closed down in 1993. The site and the buildings of the Gasworks were taken under protection and announced as a protected area in 1996. It is among a few important archeological industrial buildings that have survived until today. However, damage was done as some components of the building were detached when the building was being closed down. No steps for implementing cultural sustainability could be taken for Hasanpasa Gasworks as the area it covers is so large, approximately 33,000 square meters. In the present day, isolated gasometer buildings have started to be hosts to crime scenes in our cities. Some parts of Hasanpasa Gasworks were settled by Romanian gypsies. Every passing day is witnessing more and more destruction to the building. In this sense, it becomes compulsory to evaluate Hasanpasa Gasworks together with its environment within the concept of sustainability and to bring it into use again, to put more functions on it and in this way to turn it into a habitable place for the city and society. In this study, historical and cultural accumulation of Hasanpasa Gasworks will be considered, and it will be analyzed together with the district of Kadi{dotless}köy Hasanpasa. Refunctionalization solutions will be presented in accordance with the environmental requirements. © 2010 WIT Press.