Examination of the built environment created by the zoning plan decisions using street measurements in Konya

Streets are public/semi-public interfaces that connect urban spaces where people live and socialize. Therefore, the streets affect the quality of life of individuals and society. However, the most essential tool in producing the urban built environment in Turkey, development plans have limited ability to produce streets with high livability. The main reason for this limitation is that the development plans focus on the settlement order and density of the zoning islands. In the development plans, the interfaces between the zoning blocks are planned as a two-dimensional width with a vehicle-oriented approach. Vehicle-oriented design of the streets reduces the quality of the city's space and prevents people from enjoying using the street. Therefore, it is an essential requirement that the street, defining the built environment forms, be created within the framework of the principles of sustainability and livability. In this context, the study's primary purpose is to reveal the importance of the street, the three-dimensional public/semi-public space between the facades of the buildings, for the urban built environment and society. In addition, in the study, streets formed by development plans are evaluated within the framework of the concepts of sustainability and livability. Within the scope of the study, 630 streets produced with development plans in Konya were selected as the case study, and these streets were examined by the street criteria. In line with the study purpose, principles and indicators related to street design have been revealed in the international and national literature. 630 streets determined as the case study were evaluated within the framework of street design indicators using spatial analysis, observation and photographing techniques. A street design evaluation score was created for each street. Then, the development plans of the streets with the highest and lowest street design indicator points were examined, and the effect of development plans on the formation of streets was analyzed. The findings revealed that the streets were designed to facilitate the access of motor vehicles rather than providing a comfortable and comfortable urban space for the users. The main reason for this situation is the limited capabilities of development plans to produce livable and sustainable streets.