Evaluation of nation gardens according to urban open green space planning and design criteria: the case of Çankırı Devlet Bahçeli Park

The rapid growth of urban population, coupled with various socio-economic, political, and cultural factors, has led to a gradual reduction of open green spaces in city centers, and nation gardens have emerged as a solution to this situation. Urban open green spaces not only play a significant role in urban aesthetics and architecture but also serve as public recreation areas that punctuate the daily lives of city dwellers. The design and sustainability of these areas are of great importance because they provide city residents with the opportunity to recharge both physically and mentally. Therefore, cities that neglect these urban structures deprive their inhabitants of access to nature, adversely affecting their quality of life. In this study, Çankırı Devlet Bahçeli Park, located in Çankırı city center, was evaluated as a nation garden. The aim is to analyze Çankırı Devlet Bahçeli Park in terms of urban open green space planning and design criteria. Çankırı Devlet Bahçeli Park was evaluated using landscape planning and design criteria starting from the concept and history of the nation garden. For this purpose, the conformity of the first nation garden of Çankırı city with urban open green space planning and design criteria such as functionality, accessibility, sustainability and sufficiency is analyzed and recommendations are developed.