An analysis on Kokcha river and Feyzabad (Afghanistan) city in the context of water-city relation

The phenomenon of water, which constitutes the basic element of existence, has been suitable habitat areas that meet all vital requirements since the creation of all living things, especially human beings, with the opportunities and the environments it provides. The water needed to sustain their lives throughout human evolution has gained importance as the primary source of food and defense at first. Afterwards, the river front which is a dynamic product of water and land dialectics have been the transition of human beings to the settlement and the determinant factor to the selection of cities since the beginning of civilization to the present day. The first steps of development with the transition of people to the agricultural society and the added value in agriculture have been taken along the river banks. In the following periods, due to socio-cultural, economic change of the society that took on variable functions in parallel with the different needs and added in different periods, have been a determining factor in the development and growth of cities. However, due to the urban pressures, population growth, anti-nature actions along with pollution, deterioration and unhealthy environment have affected these areas negatively in the recent years. On the other hand, the relationship between the river bank and urban life have gradually weakened. These negative developments have brought social, cultural and recreational activities to agenda which will transform the river banks and the existing relationship between water and the city for centuries which has been dismissed in recent years. Therefore, efforts have been made to regain interaction between water and the city to increase publicity with different actions. The city of Feyzabad as the research area within the scope of this thesis, is a place where historical developments and problems mentioned as a river city are observed concretely. The Kokçe River passing through the city was decisive in the establishment of Feyzabad and gave life to the city both economically and socially. However, the relationship between Kokçe River and Feyzabad which has turned into an urban drainage area , has weakened and even cut through constructions. This situation, which undermines the access to the river and the public use of the bank, has created a barrier between the city and its source of life. In this context, to reveal the problem expressed in the thesis study with the theoretical information, field research, observations and surveys related to the subject is the aim to examine Feyzabad and Kokçe River within the framework of water-city relationship and to bring river banks to urban/urban areas as public open spaces as well as to demonstrate actions that can be transformed for recreational purposes.