What does adobe have to do with Izmit? The problematic of the existence and transmission of heritage composed of earth-based building materials in an industrial city

Izmit, known as Nicomedia during the Roman period, is today Turkey's fourth-largest industrial production hub. In such a city, one might be surprised to encounter structures built using traditional methods, let alone adobe walls, earthen floors, or mud-plastered façades. Dr. Balc1 conducted oral history interviews in her doctoral research within 45 rural neighborhoods of Izmit, Kocaeli, Turkey. During these interviews, when asked "what was the oldest house you remember here?" responses frequently included references to earth and adobe. In these narratives, adobe was more than just a building material; it represented a cool interior in summer, warmth in winter, affordability, easy renewal, and healthy living conditions. Examples from these narratives will be highlighted throughout the paper. Motivated by the continued presence of adobe structures in Izmit's rural4and occasionally urbanized4settlements, and the existence of living memories related to adobe production, Dr. Balc1 and her colleague Dr. Kishal1 decided to deepen their research. The interviews conducted by Dr. Balc1 were revisited using keywords "adobe," "earth," and "mud." Identified rural settlements containing adobe-filled structures were examined on-site, and the local inhabitants9 perspectives were reassessed. This paper will provide insights into the architectural and construction techniques of predominantly timber-framed adobe-filled vernacular buildings, material deterioration issues, and the local inhabitants9 attitudes toward these structures. Thus, the aim is both to enhance Izmit9s visibility within the global adobe inventory and to contribute to the discourse on issues surrounding adobe heritage.