Visual landscape quality assessment of surrounding landscape design in historical buildings: The case of Yozgat city

The structures that form the historical identity of cities are important components of cultural heritage, not only because of their architectural value but also because of the landscape relationships they establish with their surroundings. Rapid urbanization, unplanned spatial densification, and increasing population pressure negatively affect the visual quality of the environmental arrangements of historical structures, threatening the aesthetic and cultural continuity of these areas. In this study, six historical structures located in the Yozgat City were selected, and the environmental arrangements of these structures were evaluated using visual quality analysis methods from a landscape architecture perspective. In the research, visual landscape quality parameters were determined based on field observations, photography, and the opinions of a total of 24 experts, including architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and interior designers; the data obtained were statistically analyzed using the SPSS program. In addition to the mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum values, the consistency of expert opinions was tested using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The findings revealed that symbolic structures of the city, such as Çapanoğlu Mosque and Cumhuriyet School, scored high on the criteria of "identity emphasis," "harmony with historical texture," and "visual integrity." while some structures showed deficiencies in parameters such as "urban furniture," "lighting arrangement," and "pedestrian accessibility." The analysis revealed that landscape elements strengthen the spatial identity, but the spatial experience is negatively affected due to the lack of comprehensive design and maintenance strategies. The study emphasizes that simply preserving historical structures is not sufficient; environmental arrangements must be planned in a way that supports visual quality. The potential of these areas can be increased with appropriate landscape arrangements, contributing to local development. The thesis highlights the importance of the relationship between historical structures and the surrounding landscape of identity.