Restoration recommendation for Nizip "Sayınlar Soap Factory"

With their unique architecture and construction elements, soap factories are sig-nificant because they are like historical documents that reflect the cultural, economical, agricultural, architectural and industrial manufacturing techniques of the period and en-vironment they were constructed in. This thesis is important due to its study of a rare structure which still retains its soap manufacturing characteristic and it is the first study that scientifically analyzes one of the soap factory structures in Gaziantep. The study consists of nine chapters. In the first chapter, the objective, importance and method of the study is indicated; reference summaries are provided in second chap-ter; the traditional soap manufacturing process, history and its important is studied in the third chapter and the reflection of architectural details on soap factory structures are discussed; and the history, geography and traditional urban fabric of Nizip is studied in fourth chapter. In the fifth chapter, the current status, architectural and structural char-acteristics of the Sayınlar Soap Factory are indicated; analogical studies were made and the period when the structure was first built was analyzed in sixth chapter. In the sev-enth chapter, the restoration approach was described, and some evaluations were made about giving them new functions and preserving them. The general evaluation of the study is made in eighth chapter, the importance of soap factory structures and sugges-tions are offered to preserve the architectural heritage of Nizip. There are references in the ninth chapter. This study concerns Sayınlar Soap Factory, which is one of the few industrial and commercial structures in the Nizip district of Gaziantep city. The soap factory, which has not been used for any other purpose until today, reflects the architectural characteristics of the period it was built as well as the traditional soap manufacturing technology. Even though the neglect, empty historical structure and the soap manufac-turing equipments inside still kept their originality and reached the present day, it dete-riorates witch each passing day due to damage caused by human and natural factors. The study of the traditional soap manufacturing in terms of its history and tech-nology has also become an indispensable part of the study in order to understand the architecture of soap factory. During restitution, the maintained details and elements that give certain infor-mation about the unique architecture of soap factory were taken into consideration, and the changes that occurred in the architecture were determined in accordance with the written, visual and audio sources. The physical characteristics of the soap factory struc-tures in near vicinity and region and the periods they were built were studied, and sug-gestions were made with analogy technique. Considering the architectural characteristics of the structure and the needs of the district, it was suggested that the structure be used as a city museum in the Restoration project, which was shaped by the restitution studies. The structure, which can't carry out its original function, can be put to good use this way, and it will allow the structure to be preserved and the people of the district will know the region better. Keywords: Soap, history of soap, Soap Factory, Masmana, Building survey (rölöve) and Restoration, Nizip, Gaziantep.