A research on improving the visual quality of walls: The example of Izmit

Ongoing construction that is increasing with each passing day in cities, also reveals blank walls problem that occurs in outdoor spaces. People want to spend time outdoors in order to get away from the negative and harsh effects of indoor areas and to be able to breathe. However, they face the same problems due to pavement arrangements outdoors and this leads to them feeling stuck between concrete masses. With this study, existing walls in İzmit were examined. The effect of these walls on the users will be determined and design proposals will be developed in accordance with the users wishes and needs. The work consists of two stages. The place of walls in our lives, where they are used in architecture and urban settings set out in the first stage. The application methods on walls are defined, evaluations made with through examples, mentioned displacement of walls in landscape architecture. In the second stage, the walls in the areas where different activities are carried out in İzmit were examined in terms of the purpose of use and application methods and problems were revealed. The impact of these areas on the users was determined by making a survey assessment. After this, design proposals were developed using different techniques, structural, green, both structural and green, taking into account the needs and demands of the users, to the problems identified for the limiting and bearing walls in four different activity areas. The proposal was put forward with the help of a questionnaire about the effects of the designs on the users and how they feel to the users. Thus, what kind of applications are preferred for the walls were revealed to what extent. As a result of this study, some proposals given for the walls which have only functional use in cities to make them more aesthetically pleasant and harmonious with urban pattern were suggested. These application proposals have been demonstrated both for the psychologies of the people living in the city and for the necessity and importance of the city to display a more livable, healthy and comfortable image with the image that the city will bring to the city's fabric.