Urban Lost Spaces: A Landscape Design Studio Experience at The Scale of a Historical Site

After the Industrial Revolution, the development of technology and rural-urban migration accelerated urbanization; this process led to the shaping of urban spaces based on the balance of occupancy and emptiness through planning and design. Urban spaces change over time according to the social, economic, technological, and other needs of city dwellers, and spaces that cannot adapt to this change lose their functions. These spaces, which are disconnected from the living texture of the city, lose their qualities by disrupting their communication with the city residents. Areas that do not fit the definition of space, do not contribute positively to the city and its inhabitants, and are open to redesign are considered lost spaces. In this context, Çanakkale city center is examined in terms of occupancy/vacancy and land use; the reasons why an urban space is lost are analyzed and design proposals are developed to reverse this loss. Çanakkale Old Central Hospital was chosen as a lot site due to negative impacts such as war, natural disasters, fire, disinvestment and lack of interest; its historical character, the surrounding military areas and its socio-demographic status were also influential in this choice. Landscape design projects were developed by 3rd year Landscape Architecture Department students in order to re-incorporate the area into the urban memory and urban agenda. The historic site has been handled by considering ecological, economic and social dimensions; plant species and structural materials suitable for the historical texture have been selected, different spatial arrangements have been designed and design proposals supported by sustainable design approaches have been presented. Thus, it is thought that the study plays a pioneering role in the evaluation of lost historical places in cities and supporting them with sustainable landscape design studies; from this perspective, it is thought to contribute in terms of academic and practical benefits.