Konak Square and its environs in the city of _ Izmir have a diversity of users and activities. The area was studied to establish how much such a public open space meets user expectations. Taking environmental factors into account and investigating user dissatisfaction will help in the design of similar public open spaces in the future. Some 271 public users and 56 specialists were consulted for their opinions through questionnaires. At the same time bioclimatic comfort conditions were calculated using the Olgyay method so that we could investigate the relationship between user satisfaction and these conditions. The central tendency (average) of general user satisfaction was calculated as 4.5 using the seven-step Likert attitude scale while the average for general satisfaction of specialist consultants was 4.1. Of the 271 questionnaires received 179 were completed on days when bioclimatic comfort conditions were not reached and, surprisingly, users indicated that they were more satisfied on these days.Konak Square was built in 2003 at a cost of E3,600,000. The companies involved reported that bureaucracy and application costs were sometimes restricting factors during the design and construction stages.

Located within the borders of a conservation development plan, a traditional street structure, a renovated street structure which holds traditionalism and modernism together and a modern street structure constructed within the present settlement have been studied comparatively to determine the degree to which the existing urban structure meets the expectations of today's people.After an initial search of the literature, including development plans for the study area, the concept of 'the street' was examined in detail and the place of streets as the lowest spatial unit in social life evaluated. During the data collection phase expert and student groups, including landscape architects, investigated the area by public survey and direct observation to produce information for consideration by the researchers and an expert panel.Physical structure and life-style analyses were carried out through on the spot observation together with a public survey using face-to-face interviews and a computer-based visual analysis. During the last phase of the study, all the data obtained were evaluated by the research group and recommendations to direct future activity in planning, designing and primary conservation were developed on the basis of the selected street samples.

This article presents a visual analysis of the landscape characteristic of Göcek settlement, a Mediterranean coastal town affiliated to Muğla, located in the south-west of Turkey. The aim was to provide an identity for a contemporary coastal town by studying use of its public open spaces. The analysis had four parts: data collection, development of forms, fieldwork and finally evaluation and synthesis. In the fieldwork section of the study, the coastline, which is considered outstanding in terms of its tourism potential, was divided into seven sub-areas and each was analysed in terms of spatial, perceptual, sensory and social aspects and the level to which it met user expectations. In addition to the visual analyses, a questionnaire was conducted with 70 respondents concerning their accessibility to the area, period of stay, what they did, reasons why they preferred the study area and the elements that enhanced or reduced the visual quality of the area. The results of the visual analyses and questionnaires carried out in the seven sub-areas, showed that overall people’s perception of the public spaces were generally at a medium level on the scale used. So, within this context, the message was that the visual quality and liveability of Göcek, which aims to make progress in terms of tourism, have to be enhanced.

Dalyan, a Mediterranean coastal settlement in southwestern Turkey, is attracting a great deal of attention due to its natural and cultural value and tourism potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Dalyan coastline and its environment as a public open space to find out whether the space meets the needs of users. Responses to a questionnaire were used to propose solutions for developing the area's performance and identity.First, the area was divided into six sub-spaces that were evaluated in terms of activities and uses, comfort and image, access and linkage, sociability and sensorial aspects and meeting the users' expectations. Second, a face-to-face interview was conducted with 255 users. A visual analysis was also conducted. As a result of this research, various sectors of the society were brought together. This research illustrated that the coastline is the most popular sector of Dalyan, and if the suggested development takes place, it would provide an important social environment as well as an open space for community use due to the enhancement of the area's visual quality and liveability.