Antalya city in terms of urban morphology

Cities, which are the products of civilisation, are the most complex and organised living spaces created by humans on earth. Each city has different development processes depending on the special conditions it carries. For this reason, it is necessary to examine cities one by one and to investigate the unique structure of each in detail. In urban studies, the morphological tradition represents an understanding that examines cities from a formal perspective as well as their development processes periodically and structurally. With these aspects, urban morphology stands out as an accepted and frequently used perspective among urban studies. Antalya, one of the most important metropolises of our country, is a deep-rooted settlement area dating back thousands of years. The city was established and shaped under unique conditions with its location, physical environment and climate characteristics, and has grown and developed under the influence of social, demographic and economic activities. A comprehensive analysis is needed to understand the city's life adventure, to examine its urban characteristics such as form and texture, and to make correct future plans. In this study, the urban development of Antalya was addressed in line with the historical-geographical approach within the understanding of urban morphology. In this context, the growth processes of the city were examined on a periodic basis and morphological development was revealed by performing morphological region, parcel cycle and perimeter belt analyses. In addition, characteristics such as physical environment, population, function and environmental relations were examined in the context of their effects on urban morphology and an attempt was made to investigate urban development in a way that would not leave any gaps and to present a future perspective. In the light of the findings obtained, it can be stated that Antalya has a heterogeneous urban structure that includes different spatial and sociocultural textures. Although it has a history of thousands of years, a traditional settlement pattern dominates the city center, which has grown under the influence of economic activities and migrations in the last 60 years, while planned or unplanned housing areas, grid-shaped or irregular street patterns can be seen towards the city peripheries. Each section of the city has concentrated on a different type of economic activity and has created a texture focused on tourism on the coastline, industry in the north and agriculture in the east. During the rapid growth process, the natural environmental characteristics of the city were ignored and decisions taken against the city identity have caused irreversible mistakes. In city planning, it is essential to prioritize strategies that are compatible with the physical environment and human structure and to limit urban growth.