THE TRANSFORMATION OF KORDONBOYU: FROM SHORE TO URBAN SPACE

Abstract

Urban spaces are public spaces where the society carries out commercial and economic activities, maintains social relations and social practices. Urban spaces have gone through various destruction and reconstruction processes throughout history, and these physical changes also reshape the identity of the space. Kordonboyu, one of the most important urban spaces of Izmir, as a coastal city, has also undergone transformations in the historical process. However, it has managed to preserve its symbolic importance and publicity. In this study, the transformations of Kordonboyu are examined and its sustainability as a public space is tried to be revealed. The evolution of Kordonboyu in the historical process and how urban space and publicity were affected by various natural disasters and man-made destructions are traced. As a result, it is seen that Kordonboyu has preserved its feature of being one of the most important public spaces in Izmir, although Kordonboyu goes through continuous transformations.