Evaluation of urban identity perception on users:Comparison of Diyarbakir Suriçi and OldMardin city center

In the shaping of urban spaces, the relations of space users with the physical environment, their perception of the space and their meanings play an important role in the physical environment. Human space relations basically start with the perception of the environment of the individual. An image of that environment occurs in the mind of the individual who perceives his environment. When this situation is evaluated at the scale of the city, the identity of the city is formed by the perception and adoption of the physical, social or natural objects forming the city as collective. In this study, natural and artificial factors that are effective in the formation of urban identity in Diyarbakır Suriçi Region and Old Mardin Region have been determined and environmental perception has been evaluated through these factors. The aim of this study is to reveal the urban identity perception of Diyarbakır Suriçi Region and Old Mardin Region. In the introductory part of the study, the aim, scope, problem and method of the study are given and the path to be followed has been determined. In the Resource Summary section, the studies that deal with urban identity and environmental perception according to gestalt principles have been given by literature review. In the Materials and Methods section, gestalt principles have been evaluated in line with the elements constituting the urban identity and these principles have been summarized in general terms and discussed together with the conceptual framework on this subject. Within the conceptual framework, perception and types of perception theory, natural and artificial elements affecting urban identity have been examined. In the Findings and Discussion section, information and data in the literature related to Diyarbakır Suriçi Region and Old Mardin Region have been examined. Natural and artificial elements that are effective in the formation of identity elements in the region have been examined. The urban identity elements have been determined according to the natural and artificial elements which were effective in the formation of Diyarbakır Suriçi Region and Old Mardin Region. According to the identity elements determined in this direction, the environmental descriptive elements of environmental perception related to the gestalt principles were determined and the students of the architecture department were surveyed accordingly. In the conclusion part, the environmental perception of both historical regions of Diyarbakır Suriçi Region and Old Mardin Region has been compared according to the environmental descriptive elements.