Analysis of the structural systems of traditional Antakya houses in the context of physical environmental audit

All structures have a lifetime depending on the way they are produced, the materials that make up the main system, and the binders of these materials. This concept, which is called building life, is the factors in determining the life of the building depending on climatic conditions, natural disasters, chemical and physical resistance of the materials that make up the building. These conditions that affect the life of the structure are external conditions that weaken the structure physiologically, reduce the effect of the carriers and cannot be determined exactly. Traditional architectural products have developed with the application of some solutions suitable for the climatic and natural conditions of the region, which were found by trial and error method for centuries, with the possibilities of that period. Traditional architecture or vernacular architecture; It is also defined as a kind of anonymous architecture realized by the people using traditional techniques and forms with the materials they obtained from their own environment (Hasol, 1998). Historical traditional houses are structures that have survived to the present day, which have witnessed many periods that a society has preserved and developed in a geographical area with the environmental conditions and the influence of the cultural structure during the construction process. The cultural richness that emerged in the city of Antakya, which has hosted many civilizations, has also contributed to the architecture of the region. The historical and traditional houses of Antakya are also a legacy of this cultural richness. The historical traditional houses in Antakya are generally in the region called old Antakya among the people and are located on the Kurtuluş Street between the Habib-i Neccar Mountains and the Orontes River. ''18. If we take a look at the comments of some travelers made in the past about the Antakya houses belonging to the 19th century; Regarding John Macdonald Kinneir's visit to Antakya in 1813, he states that the houses in Antakya are Turkish style, and the houses are generally small and cute buildings made of stone. He states that generally the houses have gardens, and in these two-storey houses, the lights enter the rooms through arch-shaped windows. James Silk Buckingham, in his 1816 visit, states that the houses are mostly stone structures, with single-pitched roofs and covered with red tiles. In Buckingham's notes, it is stated that there are three-storey houses as well as two-storey houses, and the upper floors of the houses are wooden. According to the statement of La Baron Taylor dated 1830, it is said that the houses were built of low-rise, adobe and stones removed from ancient buildings. Lieut-Colonel Chesney, who visited the city in 1835, talks about stone buildings with tiled roofs and wooden frames. As we approach from the past to the present, the information and descriptions of the travelers about Antakya houses overlap and resemble today's houses"(Cengiz, 2014). The city of Antakya appears with its unique architecture as a result of its cultural structure and ethnic diversity. Structural system damages of historical traditional houses cause serious damage to the houses, shortening the life of the building and even causing its destruction. It is aimed that these structures will be long-lasting and permanent by preventing structural system damage. The study area was chosen as the city of Antakya in order to take precautions in line with the conservation use decisions and to ensure that these structures have a longer lifespan. The traditional structures examined are located in the 3rd degree protected area of the city of Antakya, on the route of Kurtuluş Street. The reason why these structures have been selected in the 3rd degree protected area is to produce solutions that will ensure the protection and evaluation of existing structures in line with the conservation regulations. First of all, it is planned to examine the city history of Antakya, the buildings with important historical monument value in the city and the typological features of traditional houses, the historical development process of the Turkish House for the city of Antakya and the construction system setup. It has been observed that the historical traditional houses of Antakya could not maintain their existence by taking serious damages due to environmental conditions. In order to ensure the continuity of the historical residences, it was decided to take measures by adhering to the protection regulations as a result of the damage assessments, the construction system setup and the data obtained. In this direction, studies, statutes, international standards and regulations related to the construction systems and elements of Antakya historical traditional houses have been examined. For each building scale, archive scanning was carried out, photographs and information about the building were obtained, the causes of destruction were investigated for the purpose of assessing the condition of the building elements, their surveys were taken, instrument analyzes and graphical reports were prepared, and a building identity form was created. In addition, damage tables indicating the level of destruction and performance analyzes of building elements were prepared. As a result of the analyzes made, the damage to the structural system due to environmental conditions in traditional houses, the loss of resistance of the building against ground water, the physical and chemical changes of the coating materials. Keywords: Building Physics, Turkish Houses, Thermal Effects, Moisture Effect, Wood Frame Technique, Protection, Antakya