Evaluation of the Criteria for the Transformation of the Coal Operating Facilities in the Ruhr Region for the Zonguldak Üzülmez Hard Coal Operating Institution

Abstract

Coal production, which has a large share among the world's energy resources, has also created an important industry branch in Turkey. The businesses in this area continued their existence within the borders of Turkey from the Ottoman Period to the Republican Period. The Ruhr Area, located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which was the pioneer of industrialization movements in Europe in the 19th century, has become the center of coal production. The facilities involved in coal production not only have tangible cultural heritage elements belonging to original production processes and building materials, but also contain intangible elements of the cultural and social life of the society they belong to. With the destruction of coal production in the industrialized countries and the emergence of alternative clean energy sources, it was decided to close these enterprises over time. With this transition, coal mine processing plants located in the Ruhr Region and incorporating intangible and tangible periodical elements have been evaluated within the scope of adaptive reuse as a cultural heritage. In Turkey, on the other hand, coal production maintains its importance among energy sources. Since the economic benefit obtained from coal production is at the forefront, the change and destruction of the building groups in the production area is seen as normal. For this reason, it is important to record and document the coal mine processing plants, which are in danger of extinction. In this context, attention has been drawn to the potential potential of certain construction sites in Zonguldak belonging to the establishments and operating directorates of the Turkish Hard Coal Authority, which can be evaluated within the scope of adaptive reuse examples in the Ruhr Region. The aim of the study is to increase the awareness of these building groups in order to protect the coal-based industrial heritage and to develop criteria that will allow appropriate use transformation scenarios in line with the needs of the region.