Research Article

Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences

Volume: 14 Number: 2 June 30, 2026
TR EN

Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences

Abstract

Turkey has witnessed numerous historical events throughout its history and hosts a wide range of cultural heritage elements that have survived to the present day. Halime Çavuş, a prominent war heroine, represents an important cultural heritage figure for the city of Kastamonu. This study aims to evaluate the grave of Halime Çavuş—currently memorial tomb—as a cultural landscape element within the framework of landscape architecture principles. In the study, the existing condition of the tomb was examined, and three alternative design proposals were developed based on structural and planting design principles. Participant evaluations were conducted via Google Forms with 118 students studying at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at Kastamonu University. The findings revealed that students with design education tended to favor the first proposal, characterized by simplicity, strong spatial integrity, and a clear focus on the tomb, whereas students without design education more frequently selected the second proposal, which featured colorful and flowering groundcover plants. The results indicate that although some descriptive differences were observed between participants with and without design education, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Furthermore, the existing tomb was found to be inadequate in terms of landscape design, highlighting the importance of the value-based approach recommended by UNESCO for cultural landscapes. In this context, the study offers a limited but meaningful methodological perspective for the conservation of cultural heritage and for reconsidering tomb environments in line with contemporary landscape design principles. This study contributes to landscape architecture and cultural landscape research by proposing a user-based and design-oriented evaluation framework for small-scale commemorative spaces, integrating site analysis, alternative design development, and perception-based assessment within a cultural landscape perspective.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Kastamonu Üniversitesi

Ethical Statement

KASTAMONU ÜNİVERSİTESİ REKTÖRLÜĞÜ Fen ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Kurulu

References

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  3. [3] UNESCO. Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape; UNESCO: Paris, France, 2011.
  4. [4] Schmitz, S. Un cimetière, une communauté, un espace: l'exemple liégeois. Géographie et Cultures 1995, 16(4), 93–104.
  5. [5] Johansen, P.G. Landscape, monumental architecture, and ritual: A reconsideration of the South Indian ashmounds. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 2004, 23(3), 309–330.
  6. [6] Wasserman, J.R. To trace the shifting sands: Community, ritual, and the memorial landscape. Landscape Journal 1998, 17(1), 42–61.
  7. [7] Yu, J.; Yan, H.W. Establishment of Plant Landscape Evaluation System for Mausoleum Park. In Proceedings of the 2015 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Industrial Engineering; 2015; pp. 622–624.
  8. [8] Sommer, F. Cemetery tours and memorial landscapes. Frankfurter Rundschau Online 2018.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Landscape Design

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

December 15, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 7, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 14 Number: 2

APA
Ayan Çeven, E., & Doğan, M. İ. (2026). Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and Planning, 14(2), 201-212. https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW
AMA
1.Ayan Çeven E, Doğan Mİ. Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences. GUJSPB. 2026;14(2):201-212. https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW
Chicago
Ayan Çeven, Elif, and Mustafa İlkay Doğan. 2026. “Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences”. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and Planning 14 (2): 201-12. https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW.
EndNote
Ayan Çeven E, Doğan Mİ (June 1, 2026) Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and Planning 14 2 201–212.
IEEE
[1]E. Ayan Çeven and M. İ. Doğan, “Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences”, GUJSPB, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 201–212, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW
ISNAD
Ayan Çeven, Elif - Doğan, Mustafa İlkay. “Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences”. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and Planning 14/2 (June 1, 2026): 201-212. https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW.
JAMA
1.Ayan Çeven E, Doğan Mİ. Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences. GUJSPB. 2026;14:201–212.
MLA
Ayan Çeven, Elif, and Mustafa İlkay Doğan. “Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences”. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and Planning, vol. 14, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 201-12, https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW.
Vancouver
1.Elif Ayan Çeven, Mustafa İlkay Doğan. Evaluation of Alternative Landscape Design Proposals Developed for the Halime Çavuş Tomb in Terms of Design Education and User Preferences. GUJSPB [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;14(2):201-12. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA68UD52JW