Study of the value that small scale parks add to the service areas and their potential for use, the case of Besiktas district in Istanbul province

Migration activities, which have been from rural areas to urban areas with the industrial revolution, have caused a rapid increase in population in the big cities. The growth of the cities has continued with unplanned settlements, and this has been an unpreventable problem until now. According to UNWUP (2014) data, about 54% of the world's population live in towns and cities, and it is predicted that this ratio will increase to 70% in 2050's. In the 1950s population growth was observed in big cities due to the migration that took place as a result of the economic growth experienced in Turkey. According to the World Bank data, the urbanization rate, which was 59% in our country in 1990, has become 73% in 2015. With these population increases, the proportion of green areas per capita is decreasing. Istanbul is a mega-metropolitan city with the highest population density in Turkey. It is observed that the need for green areas as defined by the existent by-laws in this city cannot be realized. Despite the increasing need for more green areas, there is a continuous decline in the size of such areas because of both the unplanned urbanization and the violation of the existing regulations. Norms that are mentioned in development plans and various literature cannot be achieved. Although 'Spatial Plans published in the Official Gazette on 14.06.2014 for the provinces of Turkey state that the Social Open and Green Areas with a service area of 500 m should be 10 m² per person according to the Construction Regulations, in Istanbul this ratio has been determined as 6.05 m² according to the 2010-2011 İstanbul Environmental Status Report of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. There is a dense development in the present-day urban district of Besiktas. Although it has a relatively low population density, Besiktas is heavily utilized daily because of its central location at the intersection of important routes and of its commercial and business centers. Hence, with all these features, there is an ever-increasing need for green recreational areas in Besiktas. With the urbanization, the existing green areas in the cities are undergoing destruction day by day; the material and spiritual values of the green areas are increasing; however, its amount is decreasing, access to green space is becoming increasingly difficult. While the urban green spaces meet the daily recreation needs of the urbanites, they repair the relationship between human and nature. Final declaration of Habitat 3 Urban Agenda 2016 states: We commit ourselves to promoting safe, inclusive, accessible, green and quality public spaces, including streets, sidewalks and cycling lanes, squares, waterfront areas, gardens and parks, that are multifunctional areas for social interaction and inclusion, human health and well-being, economic exchange and cultural expression and dialogue among a wide diversity of people and cultures, and that are designed and managed to ensure human development and build peaceful, inclusive and participatory societies, as well as to promote living together, connectivity and social inclusion. In cities exposed to intensive construction, while the creation of new large-scale green areas becomes difficult, a large number of independent small green areas can be found. These small-scale areas may be green areas where urbanites rest, children play, swing and maybe not noticeable while passing by. These green areas, which can be easily accessed by urbanites may serve in the areas where large-scale parks cannot be put into practice. In the first part of this thesis study in which the values the small-scale parks add to the service areas, and their potential for usage are reviewed, an introduction has been made on the importance of small-scale parks for the city and urbanites, the purpose of the thesis has been determined, its scope and method have been described. This study aims to propose recommendations for obtaining maximum benefits from small-scale city parks and for their improvement to the expected level. It is hoped that these recommendations will contribute to the optimal use of the green areas with their economical, ecological, social and physical values, and to help in planning and creation of cities with a good quality of life. In the second part, definitions of urban green space and park concept have been made, park classifications in different countries have been examined. The socio-economic, ecological and health functions that parks bring into service areas have been addressed. This study addresses the importance of parks, a type of urban green areas developed in empty quarters within the cities, for the city and its settlers. Using the past to present definitions of park, it is emphasized that besides being green areas, parks are social areas open to the use of public at large, with an important function to develop the sense of community among the users. It is therefore important to focus on the economic and environmental uses of green areas and integrate these uses into the spatial planning process. In the third part of the study, to examine the values of the small-scale parks and their use potential Beşiktaş District was selected as the study area. Firstly, the general features of Beşiktaş District and its urban development have been researched. The parks in Beşiktaş have been reviewed, and service areas have been measured. As a research method in the thesis, a park below 1,000 m² was selected from every neighborhood, and a total of 375 people in 15 parks were interviewed. With the data collected, small-scale parks' user profiles, intended uses, service areas and the values they add to their surroundings have been examined. In the last part of the study, users of small-scale green areas, usage types and usage purposes have been evaluated. The socio-economic, ecological and physical functions that these parks provide to their environments have been addressed. According to observations and survey results, suggestions have been made about the development of small-scale parks both in general and in Beşiktaş. Consequently, small-scale parks, which are not included in the academic literature but are included in classifications made by local governments, provide several benefits to service areas such as socio-economic, ecological, physical and health benefits. When the data of the space study is compared to a similar study done in Copenhagen, it is seen that similar results have been found regarding the age ranges of users, hours, days and frequency of use, time spent in the park, types of transportation and distances to the park, types of park use. Small-scale parks are mostly used by the age group of 25-44, although they appeal to all age groups. While parks are preferred during the week, they are mostly busy usually in the afternoons. Users come on foot from an average distance of 300 meters from the park. Although there is a variety of uses regarding parks, users are more likely to use these areas for recreation and socialization. Conversion of unused abandoned areas into small-scale parks for recreational need of the urbanites are important for future development of sustainable cities. In the metropole cities, where the urbanites have restricted access to nature, it is crucial to properly plan, design and use such areas for the recreational purposes. As a result of the research, it is suggested to use small-scale green areas more efficiently against the increasing construction in the cities. In this context, the planning to be done should be according to the needs of the users and the city. Small-scale parks are within reach of 300m for users, and they are the areas of rest and socialization. In new applications, it is recommended that the parks are located in areas that are already not included in the service areas of other parks and that the green field texture is revealed more instead of various functions. To increase the ecological benefits of parks, cooperation with experts should be made. Planting must be designed in roadside parks to absorb the vehicle noise and exhaust. To meet the increasing green area need of urbanites', converting unused and abandoned areas into small-scale parks will play an important role in increasing the quality of life in cities. As the urbanization continues at a rapid rate, it is very important to effectively plan for green areas for creating healthy and sustainable cities. One significant criteria to make cities safe and sustainable is to create green public areas and to improve city planning and management with participation and inclusion of all the stake holders. During the planning stage, it is of utmost importance to benefit from the green areas of all scales, because of the great need for such areas.