Özet:

Abstract Unlike the conventional design practice, the design of spaces through user participation, not only relies on the creativity of the designer, but is also shaped by the needs and preferences of the users. Such an approach enables the user to embrace the space and to use it more effectively. Thus, potential that was not apparent before in the space can be revealed. University venues are designed to support the basic needs of the students, such as education, research and social interaction. The people who should have a say about how and which space will be designed in this sense are the students who are the main users of the space. The university cafeteria was selected as the space in this study, as it relates to multiple needs of the students such as eating and drinking, studying, chatting, resting and having fun. In this context, the aim of the study was to redesign the existing cafeteria of Istanbul Kultur University with a student participation approach. The field research of the study includes two interrelated stages based on qualitative methods. In the first stage, the current state of the space was examined through the observations of the space and user actions and photographs. The findings obtained in the first stage provided the researcher with an overview of the layout of the university cafeteria and gave an idea of how the spaces were used and the design. Observations were based on how the students interact with the space, the personal space definition of the space, the actions and behaviors that exist in the cafeteria, and factors directly related to the physical environment such as light, ventilation and thermal comfort. In the second stage of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students. Students of Istanbul Kultur University, who are the primary users of the venue, took part in the interviews as participants. The findings obtained at the end of the study were evaluated and transferred to the design. The purpose of the interview was to determine how the users make use of the existing areas of the cafeteria space, how they feel about the place in general and their forward-looking wishes / expectations. Issues of how the cafeteria environment is perceived, how many people use the space, the pros and cons of the place, and if it is redesigned, the desired / expectations in the cafeteria environment were created, and the questions were directed in line with these headings. Findings from the analysis and coding stages highlighted some important problems in the existing cafeteria, and the positive qualities to be considered for the new cafeteria design to be designed. After the data collection and evaluation process was completed, data transfer was made with graphics and visualizations that would strengthen the designer-user communication, and that both groups could perceive and interpret jointly. Six main design decisions were made with the information obtained from the analysis findings. These decisions are; to bring a defined circulation axis to the space, to establish correct connections between spaces with similar and different functions, to provide diversity to the space, to eliminate the monotony in the space with the use of plants, to make space arrangements in accordance with physical environmental conditions and to reduce the density of catering services. In the study, new design ideas were developed in line with these decisions. The subject discussed in the study emphasizes that how students experience schools, which is an important part of their daily lives, how school spaces can be improved with student participation, and that students have a say in the spaces in structures such as universities / schools where they spend most of their time, increases their sense of belonging to these spaces. In the study conducted in the cafeteria of Istanbul Kultur University, it was concluded that visual methods improve the generation of information and interpretation of findings, unlike the data collected by traditional methods such as interviews and questionnaires. Although the findings cannot be generalized, it is thought that the approaches adopted and the data obtained in this study will contribute to both participatory design literature and designers who will design a university cafeteria. In the future work on the improvement of any school space, it is suggested that not only students but also educators should have a say. Considering today’s conditions and technology, it is thought that making a method such as a questionnaire digitally can reach both faster and more users. Participatory design should continue not only in the process, but in every stage of the design. Therefore, various alternatives can be developed and voted during the design process. The design with the most votes can be applied.

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