Functionality of public open spaces in the context of social resilient neighborhood: Mugla-Mentese case

In this study, it is aimed to analyze the effects of public open spaces on the ability of residents to cope with the negative changes they are exposed to. In this sense, public open spaces and neighborhoods in the focus of the study are associated with the concept of social resilience, which means the ability to cope with tensions and stresses that arise as a result of crises that are difficult to predict. A new concept arising from the effort of integrating the neighborhood with social resilience, the "socially resilient neighborhood" means that, thanks to the close relations of the residents, they can return to "normal" by reacting together to the negative situation they are exposed to, and become a stronger community by taking lessons from the crisis experience. On the other hand, public open spaces are one of the important parameters of a socially resilient neighborhood as social binders that compare and bring neighbors together. In this direction, the concept of socially resilient neighborhood is discussed in the context of the functionality of public open spaces at the neighborhood scale on social interaction. For this reason, field research was conducted in three neighborhoods in Menteşe, the central district of Muğla. A total of 64 people from these three neighborhoods were interviewed by semi-structured interview method. In line with the findings obtained from the interviews; it has been concluded that public open spaces at the neighborhood scale contribute to the ability of the residents to fight together against negative changes and thus to cope with the negative effects of the crisis relatively easier.