Visibility Assessment of a Historical School Building through Isovists and Visibility Graph Analysis

Abstract

City image includes people's perceptions of the built and natural environments as well as the emotions and ideas the city arouses in them. In the city image, the preservation of the buildings, especially historical buildings, which carry the past cultures, meaning and structural features of the city to the present day, can be ensured by making these buildings visible and perceptible by the inhabitants. Historical buildings' visibility can facilitate the recognition and appreciation of their historical significance, thereby contributing to the preservation of the city's cultural heritage. This study aims to analyse the visibility of a historical building that holds a significant place in the urban memory and to suggest recommendations for enhancing its visibility. In this context, the viewpoints used to examine the İskenderun Beş Temmuz Primary School Historical Building’s visibility were specified by space syntax visibility graph analysis (VGA). Subsequently, the building's visibility in three different historical periods was determined by the isovists technique, utilizing these viewpoints. Based on the same viewpoints, an observational field study and a survey applied to 47 people were conducted. Consequently, it was identified that the historical building could not be sufficiently seen due to the presence of surrounding service structures, perimeter walls, and high buildings. Furthermore, this study proposed the removal of additional structures that negatively affect historical building's visibility. Additionally, a design approach was developed for new buildings and landscaping to enhance the historical building's visibility, and the efficacy of the proposed design was evaluated through isovists and VGA analyses.