Analysis of Gender and Interior Space Organization of Houses in Rural Settlements of North Cyprus

Cypriots who are living in the rural areas of Cyprus and traditional dwellings are among the most important cultural values and heritage of the island. A country's past is the foundation of its future. The most important way to ensure the continuity of these important values is the protection of cultural heritage. The island of Cyprus has undergone great changes in terms of both its physical structure and socio-cultural structure from historical ages to the present. Looking at the history of the island, there are differences between the people who are living in the city and the people living in the village. Since the first ages, all people have started to shape their living spaces according to their needs. Urban dwellers generally preferred less functional apartment-type dwellings, while rural dwellers built traditional dwellings with a variety of functions due to their living standards. Unlike in the past, the situation in the countryside began to change. While there are great differences between gender roles in the past and today's gender roles, the user vision of Cyprus dwelling architecture has naturally changed. The main factors that shape the dwelling have been devalued by the changing socio cultural structure. The fact that the traces of the traditional texture in the countryside have begun to be erased poses a major problem for the Cypriot culture. In this study, to examine and reveal all these changes, traditional and contemporary dwellings selected from the rural areas of Mesarya and Beşparmak regions are discussed, the effect of gender roles on the dwelling, and the main factors that shape the dwelling are compared between the contemporary and traditional selected dwellings. The study is important in terms of understanding the factors behind the change process of dwelling, which is a cultural value, as well as gender roles that continue to change and the effects of these roles on dwellings. Keywords: Dwelling, Traditional and Contemporary Architecture, Culture, Gender Studies, Interior Design