Theory and methodology for an analysis of changes in vernacular house and settlement forms in rural parts of the Eastern Black Sea region

Form Follows Meaning: Theory and Methodology for an Analysis of Changes in Vernacular House and Settlement Forms in Rural Parts of the Eastern Black Sea Region The main concern in this study is the changes in culture and built environment. The study of cultural change and built environment is more crucial and necessary when changes in both are more rapid and excessive since such changes can severely threaten continuity in the built environment and culture and may have undesirable physical, social and cultural consequences. Coupled with the growing interest in vernacular environments, the reasons for the rapid changes in vernacular house and settlement forms in the Eastern Black Sea Region becomes an important issue. In analyzing and understanding the built environment as well as changes in them "meaning" is often a more important criterion then the utilitarian, functional, aesthetic and even economic criteria. In other words, form of the built environment neither follows function, nor aesthetic or economics, but mainly follows meaning. This thesis is designed to develop a theoretical framework and a methodology including research techniques to test this observation and hypothesis with reference to the rural parts of the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey, where vernacular house and settlement forms are threatened and replaced with the new forms. This study is presented in five main sections. In the introduction section, the dynamic relationship between culture and the built environment and how processes of cultural change affect environment and vice-versa is discussed. The reasons and the process of changes in culture and the built environment and the undesirable consequences of rapid and excessive changes in both are explained in detail. In the second and third sections, the terms "vernacular" and "meaning" are explained and various approaches and research traditions related to vernacular VIenvironments and the meaning of the built environment is revized. In doing this, the theoretical framework as well as the model for analyzing changes in culture and the built environment is established. In the forth section, the hypotheses, research methods and the procedures are discussed in detail and a comprehensive research methodology for analzing changes in culture and the built environment is given. In the last section, the field study, which has been carried out in the rural parts of the eastern Black Sea Region, is explained and the results, interpretations and proposals are put forward. Key Words: Culture-Built Environment Interaction and Changes, Vernacular Environments, Meaning, Identity, Social Status, Non- Verbal Communication, Methodology, Research Techniques, Black Sea Region.