Urban design quality assessment-UDQA, in Gursu neighborhood, Antalya, Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: This research outlines an exercise for the use of Urban Design Quality Assessment, UDQA for the study of urban design qualities in Gursu neighborhood in Konyaalti, Antalya. The aim is too fold. One is to examine the applicability of UDQA for the study of urban areas in large cities like Antalya. Many criteria, indicators, and measures have been developed and are used for the assessment of urban design qualities. Yet still there is a need to have deeper insights on their concepts and applications. The second fold is to explore the Urban Design Qualities, UDQs of this important resort and beach neighborhood using criteria of UDQA. Study design/methodology/approach: The quality of the built environment in urban areas is an important indicator of the quality of life in these areas. Urban quality is one of the main aspects of the built environment. UDQs have been developed as important tools for the study of urban quality with several criteria and measures. This research used 5 qualities for the assessment which include imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity with a set of measures for each one of them. The assessment depended on an exercise given to urban design students at the Department of Architecture, Antalya Bilim University. Findings: the research shows that there are important shortcomings in the concepts of UDQA and its applications. Also, the applicability of the measures of UDQs needs rethinking. Originality/value: This study is an attempt to highlight the subjectivity and inaccuracy of the way criteria and measures of UDQA are developed and used. It is the first study of its kind to study the urban design qualities in Gursu area of Antalya.