A Critical Approach to Çanakkale Urban Structure: Boutique Town

Abstract

Boutique towns, of which there are many examples globally, are practical towns with more ergonomic features for the natural, historical, cultural, religious, social, economic and recreational activities of townspeople removed from the conditions in complicated towns. The towns appear different to most towns, with the whole town located within bicycling or walking distance and occasional narrow street textures. The word “boutique” with French origin was used in the sense of shop or store in Turkey in the past, before later gaining the expanded meaning of different, unique or careful design. From this aspect, the presence of pedestrian streets and avenues in Çanakkale town center can be mentioned due to different designs linked to use. These orientations and features of the town texture are undoubtedly the effect of structural planning of the town at the point of clearly being a boutique town, and also location, settlement plan and compact town texture, in addition to multiple actors comprising non-governmental organizations, public and local administrators. However, contrary to this dynamism, based on the current structure the presence of the pier found in a central location in the town distances Çanakkale from the practical town perception due to directing of vehicular traffic into the town all year round, with increases especially linked to the tourism season. In this study, supported by visual images of the current status and a literature review, the plan is to contribute greatly to the boutique town structure of Çanakkale with steps made to remove the negativities caused by the pier structure and linked vehicular traffic and decisions taken in line with rational and sustainable approaches at the point of landscape planning.

Keywords

• çanakkale
• urban structure
• landscape planning
• rational use
• boutique town