A Polish Village in Turkey: A Spatial Analysis of Polonezköy in the Context of Housing, City and Cultural Relationships

Abstract

Polonezköy (Adampol) is a settlement in the Beykoz district of Istanbul, Turkey. Polonezköy was established in the mid-19th century as a result of historical and political relations between the Ottomans and Poland. The residences in Polonezköy attract attention with their structural and spatial characteristics. The issues to be examined in this article are the houses’ design, planning, layout, and spatial features. Determining the parameters of the contact between houses in Polonezköy and nature, the criteria of local/regional style, design suitable for environmental conditions, use of natural materials, establishing sensory experience, and respectful stance towards nature will be evaluated. It has ecological features such as using local materials in the residences, including vegetation in the design, protecting the existing green area, and integrating the residence in harmony with nature. The cultural, and spatial characteristics of Polonezköy residential buildings differ from those of other buildings in the settlement. The method to be applied in the research is creating a historical record through field research, photographs of the buildings, determination of their features, and interviews with their users. It will present a spatial feature sheet regarding the spatial features created by the author in the research area. The research aims to reveal the relations between Turkey and Poland through architectural features and determine the current situation. In addition, important data will be presented for researchers, academicians, students, and those interested in the subject. The unique aspect of this research is that it reveals general literature on the subject and is current field research.