1. Introduction

Urban identity is related to the preservation of the past and sustaining the culture of today. The identity for the city make it different form other cities and help it to become familiar. As stated by Lynch (1960) edges, nodes (squares), focal points and paths determine the identity of a city. The political and cultural events lived in historical process caused the cities to be formed again and the urban identity to change. In time both urban identity affected space and the development of the space affected the development of the urban identity. The most important issue in identity formation of cities is the socio-cultural saving and socio-economic life.

The urban identity has been directly reflected on urban squares, from the settlements formed by primitive societies to the cities of today, where societies have many cultural, economic and physical activities. It is an urban space that has an important role in the establishment and maintenance of social relations in the context of various actions and activities and respond to social needs.

The cities changing and growing without plan lose their identity components those they had in historical process and make them different from each other. Therefore, it is important to search the ways to avoid this loss by understanding the relation between city components and the urban identity. In the scope of this study, the effect of change observed in urban squares on urban identity is investigated via the main hypothesis that “the change in urban square affects the urban identity”. The following questions is tried to be answered in the case study: i. Does the pedestrianization in urban areas affect urban identity? ii. Does the proper urban furniture and building material usage in urban squares affect urban identity? iii. Does the existence of green areas in urban squares effect the urban identity? iv. Do the functions around urban squares affect urban identity?

In case study, two urban squares (Zafer Square and Mevlana Türbe Önü Square) which undergo major changes in time are selected to find answers specifically for these questions. The change lived in squares are determined via the satellite images, spatial readings are made on these images, the past and the present are compared and this concrete data is evaluated along with the interviews with the citizens.

In the scope of the study, firstly it is important to define the relation between urban squares and urban identity. Therefore the concepts of city, urban identity, formation of urban squares and the effect of urban squares on urban identity is reviewed depending on the research in literature. Then in the case study, the effect of the change is examined via urban squares through the research problems depending on the hypothesis and as a result the hypothesis is supported. It is determined that there can be positive and negative effects of the change on urban identity and certain decisions can make it possible to have positive effects.

1.1. City, Urban Space and Public Area

Human being is a social entity. Humans’ wish to solve the problems - which they cannot solve by themselves - through the relationships in society revealed the need to live together. The obligation to live together formed the settlement fact and together with the social relations arose because of the needs they caused the cities to be formed because of a natural product of human nature.

The definition of city according to TDK City Sciences Dictionary (2018) is “the settlement unit that is in a continuous social development and where the needs of society such as settlement, shelter, transportation, work and rest are fulfilled, the population of where is higher than villages and which is composed of neighborhood units [1].”

Boissiere (1996) identified the city as “an instant and a logistical result in which transportation, economy, energy and politics intersect [2].” Montogomery (1998) said, “City is a phenomenon of structures chaos [3]”, while Koolhas (2004) defined the city as “a random appeal offering an infinite choice and sharing potential without a visual end or an architectural determination [4].” According to Cansever (1999), “the city is the most important and the biggest product made by human being to arrange his life and a structure which surrounds and directs the human life. The culture and beliefs of societies are the leading factors forming this structure. The city is the space giving shape to the social life and human relations where the social distance is minimized and these relations gain the most intensity [5].”

From a different point of view; city is a continuity transferring the traces of the past to today and proceeding with this process. Likewise, Erzen (2007) said, “City as a spatial structure is a stage where the facts belonged to human are placed and the historical continuity emphasizing humane meanings obtain a physical form [6].”

When the city is handled in a speculative way, Lynch (1960) investigates the city in five main sections as the formation components of urban space such as roads, boundaries, regions, intersections and landmarks. Roads are the components providing the circulation and relation of users with the city like streets and avenues. Boundaries separates the city into regions and the regions are spaces that the habitants can perceive physically and mentally. Intersections are important points of cities as junction points of main axes, as for landmarks are the reference points in the city such as tower, sculpture or monument and generally can be seen from every direction of the city [7].

The spatial and formal environment of the city develops depending on the own characteristics of the parts forming the urban whole as far as the arrangement principles between these parts. This relation can be explained by contribution of each part to the quality of the whole and contagion of them from the qualities of the whole. So urban spaces are the elements providing the communication and the integration of the building with the city in this order. At this point, it can be said that urban spaces are the most important spatial unit establishing the relation between the building and the city.

Madanipour (1996) handled the urban space in a structural frame directed at a very general analysis and said “the urban space can be apprehended with i. The natural environment as the first context of its form and its characteristics, ii. Its social content transformed by society by using social processes, iii. It is being a product of the space through historical processes or a formation hoarded in time, iv. Its qualities in the context of public/private relations, v. its social, physical and symbolic dimensions, vi. Its functions, vii. Its spatial configurations, geometries and urban forms, viii. Our visual experiences forming our subjective and sensorial reactions [8].”

Urban space can be defined as an urban area stayed out of the buildings in an urban environment, limited and identified in different levels by the means of the building outer surfaces and where the daily life and all kind of social activities of citizens take place [9].

Şener and Yıldız (1999) thought that it will be useful to handle the urban space with its components like design of urban space, squares and roads for understanding the urban space and said “urban spaces should be handled as the basic element establishing the relationship between architecture and city as well as the basic/core element of the city and urban form. As for the definition of urban space concept should be handled with regard to the titles such as visual impact components forming urban space quality/value, the processes affecting the formation and design of urban space and the components of urban space in the morphological and typological context (street/avenue, square, etc.) [10].”

Public areas among urban spaces are the spaces where sharing and togetherness are lived. Çubuk (1991) defines public area as “the spaces where all the activities required by social life continued, people from all groups of age, sex and profession can use and located in city structure. There are all kinds of humane actions like social, cultural, commercial, religious, educational and sport actions in this space [11].” As for Kostoff (1999) mentioned a different side of public space by saying that “it is a common stage binding the society to each other where people realized functional and ceremonial activities in their daily routines or seasonal carnivals (festival, holiday) [12].” Public area is the space where everybody is equal without any discrimination [13]. From this point of view, Gökgür (2008) defined public area as “preserved or opened areas for every individual no matter what their culture, religion or social status are [14].”

In public area, spatial characteristics are important as well as its social environment affecting society. According to Francis (1989), “one of the most important features of a public area is its accessibility. Any square, courtyard or park must be directly or physically accessible. Doors, walls and locked passages block the accessibility of the space physically. Other kind of accessibility is social accessibility. Any public area must be in a form to be accessed by different classes and groups - like pauper, disabled people or children. The third way of accessibility is visuality. If citizens can see inside of any public area it means that public space is visually accessible. Another feature that a public area should have is its safety. This issue is especially effective on public area usage of women, old people and children [15].” For Sennett (2001), “public area is a concrete area like square or Street in the society. The society uses these areas as physical, social and symbolic tool to transform and re-form the city [16].” One of the most important elements of public space is squares. The urban squares as urban public spaces are the spaces that embody several features for the city. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the history and physical characteristics of urban squares.

1.2. Urban Square

Square was born from the words of "Plate" in Latin, "Place" in English and French, "Plaza" in Spanish and "Piazza" in Italian. The square is a three-dimensional volumetric plane surrounding human being and creating the feeling of possession where people carry out their activities and limited with elements having vertical and horizontal volumes [17].

Eyüce (2000) defines the squares as “enlarged voids within a settlement fabric composed of physical solids and voids. These voids, can be a fountain or another landmark showed by itself within the natural development of a settlement in the light of common values adopted by everybody like in traditional settlements. They can also be planned spaces with decent geometry in quality of centers seen as a starting point when a new city will be established [18].”

In other words, “An urban square is a space surrounded by one or some of the buildings forming the city in a strong or loose way. Among the elements identifying, surrounding, forming this space, there can also be a shoreline, a lane, an obelisk, a clock tower, trees, pools and sculptures besides buildings [19].” Krier (1979) also said, “The squares as one of the most important and oldest elements of urban space design are spaces that are formed by buildings grouped around an open area providing to have control and defense against outer dangers and mostly having symbolic meanings [20].”

The squares as urban public spaces, can exhibit physically different features within urban fabric. Mostly identified by the surrounding building groups, the squares are volumetrically designed and organized spaces in horizontal and vertical direction. Squares are one of the most qualified urban public spaces in the urban structure where dynamism is in heavy location. They define the focus points in urban fabric and include the function of gathering. For this reason, the squares provide the relationship between the citizens and visitors with each other and the city they share. These areas giving equal usage opportunities for all citizens form a common platform for different activities [21].

As one of the first public areas people used, squares are the most important public space fulfilling the need of social communication of people from antiquity until today as one of the important pieces of urban life with its different functions in different societies in historical process. The first examples of squares in history are the courtyards formed by the dwelling groups in Çatalhöyük in B.C.6000. The first identified example is called “agora” in Greek cities [22]. In Rome, the squares were seen as “forum” in a larger scale and they were defined as “urban squares” in medieval cities. The formal, functional equivalent of urban squares and its relationship with urban identity in different societies in history are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. The relationship between square, form, function and identity in historical process [30]

1.3. Urban Identity

The formation of cities caused the urban form to take shape with different qualities through social, cultural, economic and technological developments. Every society in history reflected its life styles and thoughts on the cities, so this realized the concept of urban identity affecting the originality of cities.

Lynch (1960) showed the identity as one of the sub-elements of image while defining the urban identity with the words such as “identity is the things referring and explaining the difference of an object from others [7].” Çöl (1998), detailed Lynch’s (1960) definition and described the urban identity as a meaning integrity affecting urban image, carrying unique qualities in each city with different scales and interpretations, developing continuously and being formed by physical, cultural, socio-economic, historical and formal factors and citizens and their life styles ([23]; [24]).

The urban identity can change through many factors such as identity elements sourced from natural and artificial environment, spatial items of these elements, historical, cultural values and levels, its architecture, social structure, geography, civilizations, local traditions, life styles, topography, vegetation, climate, geopolitical location, transportation connections, economic structure, living creatures, occupations and wars, earthquakes, being a capital or not, etc. and therefore the city gains unique features [25].

In fact, urban identity is a result of how the people perceive the things city have. No matter what architectural and functional units that the city has, people’s perception is one of the most important determinants of urban identity. Evcil (2008) [26] indicates three basic elements forming urban identity by making use of the classifications of Doxiadis (1968) [27] and Ocakçı (1994) [28]. These are the identity elements sourced from i. Natural environment, ii. Human environment and iii. Handmade environment. According to the classification the relationship between human and urban identity is a strong one, human affects the formation of urban identity directly, and through the environment he built.

In brief, urban identity is the name of the relation system affecting the image of the city in positive or negative way, having unique approaches, being affected by citizens, developing, having continuity, and being formed by the historical, economic, social and cultural structure of the past [26].

As the main frame of the study is reviewed, now it is important to mention the relationship between these elements related to research area.

1.4. Relationship between Urban Square and Urban Identity

The identity of a city provides that city to become recognizable. The physical characteristics, limiters, nodal points (squares), focus points and roads of the city determines the identity of that city. Especially in historical process, the political and cultural events caused the cities to be reshaped, city identity to change and it became concrete by reflection on spaces. In short, the historical and cultural savings of societies for thousands of years make the urban spaces to be formed and urban squares are approved as the urban spaces where these savings are exhibited and expressed in the best way.

In this sense, squares are the open spaces significantly affecting the identity within the city. Can (1999), describes the squares affecting the city and urban identity in cultural and political meaning with their functions alongside physical structures as “not only a space to pass through but urban focus points and symbolic elements where the citizens can be together in special days for cultural, political and commercial activities [29].”

The urban squares containing history, culture and urban images of that city can form the urban identity. The interaction between individual-individual, individual-space and space-space provided first the individuals than the society and city to gain identity and caused the squares as urban spaces to reflect urban identity. In historical process, urban identity and urban squares realized and developed together. As urban squares are located in city centers and they take on a task of being a focus and nodal point make it possible for them to express the history and culture of the city in a better way. When the effects of environmental and social components forming urban identity are felt in urban squares, it will be possible for squares to have identity.

For example, the squares in Ancient Greek and Rome period were the most important urban spaces reflecting the urban identity. The most important feature of these squares is that they were political and economic gathering spaces. Urban Square lost its importance after industrial revolution. Today, urban identity regained importance and the squares are formed by the reflection of urban identity.

For the urban identity to reflect on squares, it is necessary that the cultural saving of the city should reflect on space, the square should have function and structural features and the city should have identity and image. It is possible for the cities to be more livable, attraction center, focus point interbedded with its history by the means of urban squares reflecting its identity.

2. Materials and Method

This study prepared with the aim of investigating the effect of the change in urban squares on urban identity, described the concepts of city, square, urban identity and the relationship between these concepts depending on the literature research. In case study, the effect of the urban squares that undergo change in time in Konya on urban identity will be analysed. Here, it is important to select the proper examples to find the answers to the questions supporting the hypothesis. In this sense, two squares – Zafer Square and Mevlana Türbe Önü Square – are selected in case study as they undergo changes of pedestrianization, urban furniture, building materials, functions and green areas in time. In case study, the change of two squares during 2000’s in Konya (Zafer Square and Türbe Önü Square) is determined by the means of satellite images, archive photographs and on-site monitoring studies. The effect of this change on urban identity will be evaluated via spatial readings and the interviews with the citizens.

2.1. Urban development of Konya in Historical Process

“Konya is one of the oldest settlement centres of Anatolia. The excavations in Alaeddin Hill and places near the city centre showed that the city history goes to 6000’ B.C. The city - hosted many civilizations from past to present – exhibits a multi – layered structure. In Rome and Byzantine period, settlement areas were densely around Alaeddin Hill and its surroundings. In Anatolian Seljuks period settlement areas developed through the east of the city [31]. The city developed through the west of Alaeddin Hill in Karamanoğulları period and then through south and southeast in Ottoman period ([32]; [33]). In this period, as Mevlana dervish convent was located in the east of the city, city centre shifted through there [34]. In 1897, new development actions began because of the fire happened in covered bazaar in new city centre. The main street in Alaeddin Hill and Mevlana axis that has important contributions to city identity was opened; Government Hall and many 2-3 floored buildings were built in this period [35]. The land usage and transportation network changed at the end of 19thcentury as a result of that the Bagdad Railway reached to Konya, a third centre is formed around the train station after Alaeddin Hill and Mevlana environs. In 1946, the first planned development actions began for the city of Konya. These actions developed and continued in the years of 1954, 1966, 1982. Conservation Aimed Development Plan is made for historical city centre in 1996. This plan is renewed with partial changes in 2000-2002 [35]. The building and development actions related to historical city centre were stopped in 2010 [36]. Conservation Aimed Development Plan studies has been continued in 2012-2013 [37].” (Table 2).

Table 2. Urban development plans of Konya in years (2009-2010) [37]

2.2. The Effect of Change in Urban Squares on Urban Identity in Konya

The selected squares in research area have undergo change in 2000s and the investigation about the effect of this change on urban identity of Konya formed the aim of this study. Both squares in case study are located close to city center and around Alaaddin Hill (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Location of the squares in Konya

Zafer Square is located in a position combining Karatay and Meram districts of Konya. There are Alaaddin Hill in east, İnce Minare Museum, old fair area and old courthouse (Today Culture Park and Kılıçarslan Urban Square) in north, Military Hospital in West and Anıt Square in South. Zafer Square with its mentioned central location is one of the important gathering centers of Konya. For this reason, it is easy to reach this square by public transportation vehicles like minibus, tramway and bus.

As it can be seen in the satellite image belonged to 2004, Zafer Square was made up of a triangular area in the region close to Alaaddin Hill in these years. In 2005, Kazım Karabekir Street was closed to vehicle traffic and the square was enlarged in West direction with the arrangement of pedestrianized area (Table 3). The surrounding buildings around Zafer Square are generally dwellings, commercial and governmental buildings. According to the spatial reading and the interviews of citizens, it is possible to say that in time after the change, Zafer Square became a popular space living in every hour of the day with its features such as:

- The access is easy and every transportation network roaming the city intersect in this region

- There are so many commercial activities

- The space fulfills the relaxation needs of citizens with its green area arrangements and positive urban furniture

- The square meets the recreational requests of people with its spatial usages like cafe, restaurant and musical entertainment

Table 3. Zafer Square (2004-2018)

According to the obtained data, it is obvious that the change in Zafer Square positively affected the urban identity of Konya.

Mevlana Türbe Önü Square is located in Karatay district of Konya, in the West of Mevlana Museum and North of Sultan Selim Mosque. Mevlana Museum is in Konya historical city center and hosts so many local and foreign visitors every day. Türbe Önü Square is one of the intensively used squares during daytime because of its close location to the transportation network spreading from historical city center, historical bazaar and the historical city center awakened by the reuse of traditional Konya houses with functions like hotel, restaurant and cafe.

As it can be seen in the satellite image belonged to 2004, the square had a wide green area used by citizens. The square is surrounded by vehicle road, commercial spaces, mosque and museum and it undergo a huge change in 2013 in the scope of Mevlana Culture Valley Project managed by Konya Municipality (Table 4). According to the spatial readings and citizens’ opinions:

- The green area and urban furniture that provided the citizens to breathe, find peace and rest is completely vanished

- The square is covered with stone and became an area used just for pedestrian circulation

- The stone as the material used in ground covering poses danger for pedestrians because of both having a slippery surface and also absorbing and reflecting the heat. These features of the material negatively affect the usage of the square in both summers and winters.

Table 4. Mevlana Türbe Önü Square (2004-2018)

As a result of the change lived in the square, the space where the people prayed within the spiritual atmosphere of Mevlana and Sultan Selim Mosque in open air, felt themselves close to Allah by looking towards the sky on a cool ground under trees, became acquainted with each other, chatted and shared their troubles is destroyed and this vital change in the usage of square negatively affected the urban identity.

3. Results and Discussion

According to the results of case study, it is determined that there can be positive and negative effects of the change – an inevitable fact because of the structure of cites – on urban identity. As a result of the investigation on the two squares handled in scope of the study:

- The change lived in Zafer Square positively affected the urban identity:

ο The square that was located in a small area before the change, is enlarged by pedestrianization study and made open for the uninterrupted access of the pedestrians

ο The usage variety like dwelling, commerce and recreation make it possible for the square to be used in every hour of the day

ο Its close location to public transportation network and city center positively affected the accessibility

ο The arrangements of appropriate urban furniture, green areas, water and positive open area usages contributed the square positively to be used by citizens of all ages and it turned into a livable space rather than a space to pass by.

- The change lived in Mevlana Türbe Önü Square negatively affected the urban identity:

ο The square lost the whole green fabric and urban furniture that it had before the change

ο Although the square is located close to the public transportation network, it transformed into a space used just for passing by because the required usage areas are not defined

ο The applied ground cover material exhibits characteristics that negatively affect the usage both in winter and summer

ο Its usage outside of daytime is negatively affected as the square is surrounded by the buildings having the functions of only commerce and hotels

The ongoing socio-cultural and socio-economic activities in urban squares form the social side of the urban identity. The other physical elements that urban squares have are in the scope of artificial environment urban identity components affecting urban identity. As part of the mentioned artificial environment identity components, the variety in the equipment elements with different physical features like focus points, symbols, limiters, sitting elements, dustbins, sign boards, plastic elements, water feature and top cover contributes to urban identity in catchy and impressive quality. The positive contribution of these artificial environment identity components in Zafer Square to the citizens’ lives reflects on the urban identity in a positive way. However, Mevlana Türbe Önü Square that is arranged as independent from these components negatively affected the urban identity.

4. Conclusions

The urban squares as architectural elements where the citizens can breathe, rest, get rid of psychological pressure of the city; have an active social life after the intense Daily routine of the city, rather than the architectural voids tightened in between buildings. In this sense, squares are required architectural components as much as roads and buildings as they provide opportunity for citizens to move freely.

The urban squares having important place in history of cities in the World, identified with the cities they are located in and the important events been lived there. In many cities squares are one of the primary spaces to visit for tourists and first comers of the city. The squares in whole cities in the World are conserved and rearranged because of their privileged location. However especially in Turkey, urban squares lose their characteristics and functions as a result of inappropriate applications. Moreover, areas for squares are not reserved in newly developing settlement areas.

Just like other public outer spaces, squares should be seen as an important part of the urban “public outer space system” and planned and designed accordingly. New or redesigned squares as a part of the public outer place system should have the quality to fulfill the expectations and requirements of citizens. For that, all of the natural, physical, cultural, social, economic, political and historical components of the city should be considered and the square’s communication and interaction with other public outer spaces should be correctly analyzed. The coincidental and pieced approaches neutralizes multifunctional urban identity components and these kinds of spaces become the target of other urban usages and politics. This situation reflects negatively on the city and citizen in many ways like urban identity chaos and so on.

The squares as focus points of cities are the most intensively used public outer spaces because of being the space for citizens to be in communication and interaction and for city to exhibit most of the environmental and social urban identity components. The cities become similar to each other and lose their identity with rapid urbanization today. In these cities the squares exhibiting the identity components are the spaces that can positively affect the urban identity when its characteristics are appropriately evaluated and conserved. Therefore it is important to sum up the outcome of this study to provide guidelines for urban designers and architects to be able to design urban squares that will positively affect urban identity as follows:

Ÿ The urban squares should have uninterrupted pedestrian access and circulation

Ÿ The functions around the urban square should be determined among the ones to support usage during day and night

Ÿ The green areas, water features, urban furniture and building materials should be used in a proper and balanced way according to the usage, climate and the physical features of that city.