Interpretation and presentation of natural and cultural heritage sites: Environmental design project for Göreme Open Air Museum


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mimarlık Fakültesi, Mimarlık Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2012

Öğrenci: ÖZGÜN ÖZÇAKIR

Danışman: NERİMAN ŞAHİN GÜÇHAN

Özet:

The main subject of the thesis is “interpretation” and “presentation” of cultural and natural heritage sites which is an important phenomenon providing sustainability and protection of the heritage sites. Interpretation and conservation are tightly associated to each other. Individuals will learn more about the heritage site by the help of interpretation and as a result of understanding; they will have an intention to protect the historic site more; and protection will ensure continuity of the site. Interpretation and presentation of heritage sites is put into the words in Turkish Legislation by the definition of “Environmental Design Project” in `Amendment Act No. 5226 Concerning to Revision of Legislation Called as Law Concerning to Conservation of Natural and Cultural Entities` in 2004. In the legislation, it is stated that Environmental Design Projects which propose strategies for effective presentation, control visitor use, provide promotion and advertisement, solve problems emerged as a result of current use and circulation and answer the needs of historic sites by contemporary tools and methods must be prepared for each heritage site in Turkey. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to define principles for effective interpretation and presentation on the selected case according to analysis and evaluations and then propose brand new comprehensive and complementary Environmental Design Project. The case selected in the thesis for the proposition of Environmental Design Project is Göreme Open Air Museum – GOAM in Cappadocia which is Turkey’s third most visited open air museum after Ephesus in İzmir and Hierapolis in Denizli. The two main reasons for the selection of GOAM are absence of comprehensive and complementary Environmental Design Project in GOAM and insufficiency of current interpretive facilities and visitor services presented in the museum as indicated in the decisions of Nevşehir Regional Council for Conservation of Cultural Entities. Focusing on the aim, thesis is structured in three parts which are interconnected to each other as the theoretical background of the interpretation and presentation in the world and in Turkish legislations, analysis and evaluation of the selected case and finally preliminary decisions and project proposal. To conclude, “Environmental Design Project” is an important tool for understanding the significance of the museum and providing easygoing and enjoyable visit for the museum visitors according to the values, problems and potentials of GOAM. In that respect, proposing environmental design project is critical in order to satisfy visitor needs during their museum visit and provide safeguarding of GOAM.