Spatial Thresholds and Conservation Priorities in a Rural Architectural Heritage Landscape: A GIS–AHP Model from Akşahap, Türkiye

Rural architectural heritage landscapes are complex socio-spatial systems in which built heritage, cultural landscape values, local use continuity, and environmental constraints interact. This study evaluates conservation priorities and controlled-use suitability in Akşahap, a rural heritage settlement in Antalya Province, Türkiye. Conservation plan data, building inventories, environmental and accessibility datasets, and field observations were integrated at building, parcel, and raster levels using geographic information systems (GIS), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Criterion weights were derived from pairwise comparisons completed by a multidisciplinary panel of 10 experts. The analytical framework integrates the adaptive reuse capacity index (ARCI), threshold pressure index (TPI), memory continuity coefficient (MCC), and other spatial criteria within an enhanced spatial suitability (ESS) model. Model plausibility and internal consistency were assessed against the documented spatial and conservation structure of the settlement, while robustness was examined through sensitivity analysis of the AHP weights. Out of 134 historic buildings, 51.5% are in poor or ruined/derelict condition, including 16.4% classified specifically as ruined. Classes A–B comprise 38% of the study area, whereas 62% falls within conservation-priority Classes C–E. The framework provides a conservation-oriented spatial decision structure for distinguishing areas where controlled intervention may be compatible with heritage conservation from areas where conservation pressures should take precedence.