Examination of the relationship between plant material and urban identity within the scope of urbanization: The case study of Kahramanmaraş historical urban texture

The identity of an urban has a meaning when it is embodied in whole of the elements which constitute that city. When this whole and parts that constitute it are distinguishable and organized with a consistent pattern, the readability of the city and its identity can be mentioned. The level of the urban space to place and to create an image in the mind of the urban dweller is also the basic measure of the readability of urban identity and urban space. The more or less preserved historical texture of the cities is a great importance in this respect. Within this scope; structures, outdoor spaces and especially plants as living items are spatial organizations that exhibit the spatial knowledge and experiences formed over hundreds of years as a whole. Spatial order or plan setup in intact historical textures can enable the urban individual to perceive and make sense of the relationship between spaces. City trees play an important role as much as buildings and outdoor spaces in this process. In this context; efforts have been made to reveal how the relationship between the basic components of the spatial order (building, courtyard, garden, street, square and plant elements) in the example of the historical urban texture of Kahramanmaraş is perceived, interpreted by individuals and its changes in this process. The study was carried out in five stages: a) Public buildings, civil architectural works, streets and squares to be examined within the scope of historical textures are determined and mapped. b)Spatial examinations were carried out on the determined public buildings and civil architecture examples c) The plant materials used in the examined samples were determined and a plant album was created that defines the place of use, purpose and composition of them. d) The relationship between plant material and urban identity and their changes from the past to the present have been revealed through user researches. e) As a result of the findings of the research, it was made an effort to developed the principles and suggestions that can contribute to the planning and design actions covering the historical urban textures within the framework of the landscape architecture discipline.