Talas American schools structural analysis, evaluation and conservation improvement proposal

A reading from the past to the present reveals that one of the important institutions that had social, cultural, economic and political effects on Ottoman society was foreign and minority schools. Among the foreign and minority educational institutions that proliferated rapidly in the Ottoman geography, especially in the 19th century, the American Missionary Schools are the most striking example due to their numerical superiority and the breadth of their fields of activity, by reaching many parts of Anatolia in a systematic way compared to other non-Muslim schools. In short, ABCFM, the American Missionary Association, carried out all its work through the schools they established in the administrative centers in the Ottoman lands, called Station. Kayseri-Talas Station, which occupies an important place among these centers, has become the center of all studies carried out in Kayseri and its surroundings, thanks to the successes achieved in the American Schools established in its structure. Talas American Schools Campus, which was built separately for boys and girls in Talas by American Missionaries, consists of a total of twelve buildings with different functions. The construction of the buildings in the campuses using local materials, the traditional traces of the plan features, the reflection of different cultures and lifestyles on the buildings with the effect of being located in the region where the non-Muslim population is densely populated, in short, the interpretation of the architectural characteristics of both the period and the region has ensured that the buildings have a unique architectural characteristics. On the other hand, these structures have been examined by qualifying them as cultural assets, but also have symbolic, historical, and documentary values in the social and cultural history of the region where they are located, rather than just being a physical asset. The buildings located in Talas American Schools Campus, one of the rare missionary building groups that have survived to the present day by preserving their originality, were analyzed within the scope of the study, and their structural analysis, holistic conservation approaches, and development suggestions were made. It is aimed to draw attention to the importance of creating conservation awareness and policies on these structures, which have unique characteristics.