Abstract:

Urban open spaces are spaces where city dwellers have gathered and socialized throughout history. The role of urban open spaces, which are also regarded as public spaces, has changed in the current century according to globalization, privatization, real estate policies and urban transformation projects. Within the framework of this change, open spaces which are independently used by the residents are disappearing. In this study, the square placed at the Karaköy near the Galata Bridge, which has the potential to be used as an urban space but offers a limited spatial infrastructure for user activities, is evaluated within the framework of the public space literature supporting public life. In this context, the potential of the area to participate in the urban system as an urban open space was investigated using methods based on observations and interviews under the titles of attraction, accessibility, activities carried out in the area and place identity. According to the observation and interview results, the area with a strong identity which is preferred by the users is far from meeting the requirements in terms of physical conditions. In general, the results reveal the use potential of the field as a public space on the one hand, and its limitations on the other.

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