Measuring “sustainable development” in vernacular settlements: a case study Behramkale, Türkiye

Abstract

Purpose: The main objective of this paper is to critically assess sustainable development in the context of Behramkale, a vernacular village in Türkiye. Design/methodology/approach: Vernacular Heritage Sustainable Architecture analysis framework has been adopted to understand and assess vernacular architecture and sustainable development in Behramkale. Findings: The vernacular design of the old Behramkale settlement has shown more sustainable characteristics as compared to the new development area. Key findings show that trade-offs were made with respect to environmental and sociocultural aspects of sustainable development to achieve economic sustainability. Research limitations/implications: Future research with more in-depth interviews would be helpful to find out the inhabitants’ response to the conservation practices. Practical implications: Based on the research conducted, life cycle analysis and sustainable strategies of vernacular settlements can be useful tools to design, develop and improve old settlements, as well as newly established settlements. Social implications: Key lessons learned from conservation practices can help to identify well-adapted solutions to respond to the needs of local communities in Türkiye and similar vernacular settlements in the Mediterranean region. Originality/value: This paper critically assesses sustainable development in the context of vernacular architecture, heritage conservation and rural sustainability. Conservation practices in Türkiye are evaluated deeply as there is limited research in this field within the Mediterranean heritage conversation and sustainable development context.