ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS FOR EDUCATION: ISTANBUL COMMERCE UNIVERSITY

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 4, 1317 - 1334, 01.10.2025

Kardelen Özkan , Aylin Şentürk

https://doi.org/10.7456/tojdac.1735981

Abstract

This study investigates the adaptive reuse of historical buildings for educational purposes, with a focus on Istanbul Commerce University’s former Eminonu campus, the registered “Istanbul Commerce Palace.” Conducted through a qualitative case study methodology, the research evaluates the architectural and functional transformation of the building by means of archival researc, on-site observations, spatial analyses, photographic documentation and interviews with stakeholders. Additionally, to comprehensively address the impacts of adaptive reuse on heritage structures, a systematic review of 14 articles published within the last five years was carried out. Based on the literature analysis, key factors influencing the success of the adaptive reuse process were identified, and four primary evaluation criteria were developed. The Istanbul Commerce Palace was then assessed according to these criteria. The findings reveal that repurposing historical buildings for educational functions not only ensures their physical sustainability but also enhances social interaction, contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage, and supports urban memory and spatial belonging. In this context, to augment the building’s existing potential and strengthen its alignment with the identified criteria, a complementary spatial design proposal is presented within the scope of the study. This research contributes to the literature on sustainable heritage conservation by highlighting how adaptive reuse can function as an effective and meaningful strategy for integrating architectural heritage into contemporary urban contexts.

Keywords

apative reuse , heritage conservation , educational buildings , urban identitiy

TARİHİ YAPILARIN EĞİTİM İŞLEVİYLE YENİDEN KULLANILMASI: İSTANBUL TİCARET ÜNİVERSİTESİ ÖRNEĞİ

Abstract

Bu çalışma, İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi'nin eski Eminönü kampüsü olan tescilli “İstanbul Ticaret Sarayı’na odaklanarak, tarihi yapıların eğitim amacıyla yeniden işlevlendirilmesini incelemektedir. Nitel bir vaka çalışması yöntemiyle yürütülen araştırma kapsamında; arşiv belgeleri, yerinde gözlemler, mekânsal analizler, fotoğraf dokümantasyonu ve paydaşlarla yapılan görüşmeler yoluyla yapının mimari ve işlevsel dönüşümü değerlendirilmiştir. Bununla birlikte, yeniden işlevlendirmenin miras yapıları üzerindeki etkilerini daha kapsamlı bir çerçevede ele alabilmek amacıyla, son beş yıl içinde yayımlanmış 14 makale sistematik olarak incelenmiştir. Literatür analizi sonucunda, yeniden işlevlendirme sürecinin başarısını etkileyen temel faktörler belirlenmiş ve dört ana değerlendirme kriteri geliştirilmiştir. İstanbul Ticaret Sarayı yapısı da bu kriterler doğrultusunda değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, tarihi yapıların eğitim işleviyle yeniden kullanıma açılmasının yalnızca fiziksel sürdürülebilirliği sağlamakla kalmayıp, aynı zamanda sosyal etkileşimi güçlendirdiğini, kültürel mirasın korunmasına katkı sunduğunu ve kent belleği ile mekânsal aidiyeti desteklediğini ortaya koymuştur. Bu bağlamda, yapının mevcut potansiyelini artırmak ve değerlendirilen kriterlerle uyumunu güçlendirmek adına, araştırma kapsamında tamamlayıcı bir mekansal tasarım önerisi sunulmuştur. Bu araştırma, yeniden işlevlendirmenin, mimari mirasın çağdaş kentsel bağlamlara etkili ve anlamlı şekilde entegre edilmesini sağlayan sürdürülebilir bir koruma stratejisi olabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

yeniden işlevlendirme , miras koruma , eğitim yapıları , kentsel kimlik

References

• Abbas, Z., & Ashour, A. S. (2024). Adaptive Reuse (AR) of Historical and Heritage Buildings Through Concepts of Addition and Expansion. BIO Web of Conferences (p. 00104). Baghdad: BIO Web of Conferences.
• Abdullah, F., Basha, B., & Soomro, A. R. (2017). Sustainable Heritage: Analytical Study on the Viability of Adaptive Reuse with Social Approach, Case Study of Asia Heritage Ros, Kuala Lumpur. Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience, 23(7), 6179.
• Aigwi, E., Ingham, J., Phipps, R. A., & Filippova, O. (2020). Identifying Parameters for a Performance-based Framework: Towards Prioritising Underutilised Historical Buildings for Adaptive Reuse in New Zealand. Cities, 102(102756).
• Anibarro, M., Andrade, M., & Jimenez-Morales, E. (2023). A Multicriteria Approach to Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage: Case Studies of Riverside Power Plants. Land, 12(2), 314.
• Arfa, F. H., Lubelli, B., Zijlstra, H., & Quist, W. (2022b). Criteria of “Effectiveness” and Related Aspects in Adaptive Reuse Projects of Heritage Buildings. Sustainability, 14(3), 1251.
• Arfa, F. H., Zijlstra, H., Lubelli, B., & Quist, W. (2022a). Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings: From a Literature Review to a Model of Practice. The Historic Environment Policy & Practice, 13(7), 1-23.
• Ashworth, G. (2012). Preservation, Conservation and Heritage: Approaches to the Past in the Present Through the Built Environment. Asian Anthropolgy, 10(1), 1-18.
• Assmann, J., & Czaplika, J. (1995). Collective Memory and Cultural Identity. New German Critique, 65, 125-133.
• Balta, M. Ö. (2022). An AHP-Based Multi-Criteria Model for Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings. Geographies, Planning & Tourism StudioS, 2(1), 40-45.
• Bullen, P. A., & Love, P. E. (2011). Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings. Stuructural Survey, 29(5), 411-421.
• Burden, E. (2003). Illustrated Dictionary of Architectural Preservation: Restoration, Rehabilition, Reuse. Mc-Graw Hills.
• (1931). Carta Del Restauro. ICOMOS.
• (1987). Charter for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas (The Washington Charter). ICOMOS.
• (1999). Charter on the Built Vernacular Heritage. ICOMOS.
• Chen, C.-S., Chiu, Y.-H., & Tsai, L. (2018). Evaluating the Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings Through Multicriteria Decision-Making. Habitat International, 8, 12-23.
• Djebbour, I., & Biara, R. W. (2020). THE Chalenge of Adaptive Reuse Towards the Sustainability of Heritage Buildings. International Journal of Conservation Science, 11(2), 519-530.
• Dober, R. P. (1996). Campus Architecture: Building in the Groves of Academe. McGraw-Hill.
• Douglas, J. (2006). Building Adaptation. Butterworth Heinmann.
• Gautam, A. K., Thakur, R., Mishra, A., & Kaushik, N. (2025). Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings for Preserving the Past. Architecture Image Studies, 6(1), 324-333.
• Gravagnuolo, A., Angrisano, M., Bosone, M., Buglione, F., Toro, P. D., & Girard, L. F. (2024). Participatory evaluation of cultural heritage adaptive reuse interventions in the circular economy perspective: A case study of historic buildings in Salerno (Italy). Journal of Urban Management, 13(1), 107-139.
• Gregorio, S. D., Vita, M. D., Berardinis, P. D., Palmero, L., & Risdonne, A. (2020). Designing the Sustainable Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage to Enhance the Local Context. Sustainability, 12(21), 9059.
• Gülen, M., & Kılınç, M. (2018). İstanbul'un Cumhuriyet Dönemi Modern Mimarlık Mirası: Orhan Şahinler'in Türkiye Modern Mimarlığı'na Bıraktığı İki Miras: İstanbul Ticaret Odası Sarayı ve Üsküdar Vapur İskelesi. Mimar.ist, 62, 71-77.
• Hong, Y., & Chen, F. (2017). Evulating the Adaptive Reuse Potential of Buildings in Conservation Areas. Facilities, 35(3-4), 202-219.
• Hou, H., & Wu, H. (2020). A Case Study of Facilities Management for Heritage Building Revitalisation. Facilities, 38(3-4), 201-207.
• (1964). International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (The Venice Charter). ICOMOS.
• IBB. (2012). Tarihi Yarımada 1/5000 Ölçekli Koruma Amaçlı Nazım İmar Planı Raporu. İstanbul: İBB Şehir Planlama Müdürlüğü.
• IBB. (2018). Tarihi Yarımada Alan Yönetim Planı. İstanbul: IBB Şehir Planlama Müdürlüğü.
• İstanbul Ticaret Odası Proje Yarışması. (1963). Arkitekt, 14(6), 963-980.
• Joudifar, F., & Türker, Ö. O. (2020). A ‘Reuse Projection Framework’ Based on Othello’s Citadel and Cultural Tourism. The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, 11(2-3), 202-231.
• Kee, T., & Chau, K. W. (2020). Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Architecture and its External Effects on Sustainable Built Environment—Hedonic Pricing Model and Case Studies in Hong Kong. Sustainable Development, 28(6), 1597-1608.
• Köksal, A. (2016). Bir Geleneğin Son Temsilcisi: Orhan Şahinler. Mimar.ist, 57, 70-74.
• Kuban, D. (2000). Tarihi Çevre Korumanın Mimarlık Boyutu: Kuram ve Uygulama. Yem Yayın.
• Lah, L. (2019). Adaptive Re-use of the Built Heritage. Prostor, 27(57), 140-151.
• Lanz, F., & Pendlebury, J. (2022). Adaptive Reuse: A Critical Review. The Journal of Architecture, 27(2-3), 441-462.
• Li, Y., Zhao, L., Huang, J., & Law, A. (2021). Research Frameworks, Methodologies, and Assessment Methods Concerning the Adaptive Reuse of Architectural Heritage: A Review. Built Heritage, 5(6).
• Lotfi, Y. A., & Aly, T. F. (2025). Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt. Built Heritage, 9(20).
• Lynch, S., & Proverbs, D. (2019). How Adaption of Historic Listed Buildings Affords Access. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 28(4), 589-605.
• Pintossi, N., Kaya, D. İ., & Roders, A. P. (2021). Assessing Cultural Heritage Adaptive Reuse Practices: Multi-Scale Challenges and Solutions in Rijeka. Sustainability, 13(7), 3603.
• Plevoets, B., & Cleempoel, K. V. (2011). Adaptive Reuse as a Strategy towards Conservation of Cultural Heritage: a Literature Review. Structural Studies, Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture XII (pp. 155-164). WIT Press.
• Plevoets, B., & Cleempoel, K. V. (2019). Adaptive Reuse of the Built Heritage: Concepts and Cases of an Emerging Discipline. Routledge.
• Stone, S. (2019). Undoing Buildings: Adaptive Reuse and Cultural Memory. Routledge.
• Swensen, G., & Granberg, M. (2024). The Impact of Images on the Adaptive Reuse of Post-Industrial Sites. The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, 15(1), 101-129.
• Şahinler, O. (1970). İstanbul Ticaret Sarayı. Mimarlık, 7, 41-44.
• Şahinler, O. (1971). İstanbul Ticaret Odası Sarayı. Arkitekt, 1971, 57-62.
• Şentürk, A., & Gülersoy, N. Z. (2018). Aidiyet, Kent Kimliği ve Kentsel Koruma Etkileşimi Bağlamında Kullanıcı Sürekliliğinin İrdelenmesi: Kadıköy Moda Örneği. Megaron, 14(1), 145-159.
• (1975). The Declaration of Amsterdam. ICOMOS.
• Vafaie, F., Remoy, H., & Gruis, V. (2023). Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings; a Systematic Literature Review of Success Factors. Habitat International, 142(102926).
• Vafaie, F., Remoy, H., & Gruis, V. (2025). From Theory to Practice: Evaluating Success Factors of Adaptive Reuse Through a Case Study. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 15(3), 432-449.
• Vardopoulos, I., Tsilika, E., Sarantakou, E., Zorpas, A. A., Salvati, L., & Tsartas, P. (2021). An Intergrated SWOT-PESTLE-AHP Model Assessing Sustainability in Adaptive Reuse Project. Applied Science, 11(15), 7134.
• Wang, G., & Liu, S. (2021). Adaptability Evaluation of Historic Buildings as an Approach to Propose Adaptive Reuse Strategies Based on Complex Adaptive System Theory. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 52(1), 134-145.
• Wong, L. (2023). Adaptive Reuse in Architecture: A Typological Index. Birkhauser.
• Yatsenko, V., Osychenko, H., Tyshkevych, O., & Toporkov, V. (2024). Adaptive Reuse of Historic Rural School Buildings in Ukraine in the Poltava Region. International Journal of Conservation Science, 15(SI), 73-88.
• Yung, E., Chan, E., & Xu, Y. (2024). Community-Initiated Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings and Sustainable Development in the Inner City of Shanghai. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 140(3), 1-13.
• Zeadat, Z. F. (2023). Adaptive reuse challenges of Jordan’s heritage buildings: a critical review. International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, 16(1), 95-107.