Heritage Values of Ayvacık-BüyükhüsunHistoric Settlement which is on the Verge of Rural Gentrification

Abstract

Abstract

Ayvacık and its surroundings, which have been chosen as living spaces by communities with different cultures throughout history due to their geographical advantages, are today a special region with many natural and cultural values. It is very common for rural settlements to have historical, archaeological, or natural values in the district, which has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric ages. Büyükhüsun Village is one of these historical settlements in Ayvacık, where the traditiona lrural life continued. The rural architectural heritage, which is a reflection of human-nature interaction and has been transferred anonymously over the ages, reflects not only reflects the culture of life in the region but also the past social and economic factors behind it.  In this study, not only the values ​​that make up the architectural heritage such as settlement features, traditional building types, construction techniques, material use and building mastery, but also tangible and intangible heritage values ​​are discussed with a holistic perspective. In contrast to other rural settlements which have been facing depopulation and immigration issues globally widespread, Büyükhüsun village is subject to remigration and population increase because of the growing interest of the population in big cities. It is seen that the demographic, social and physical structure of the village is faced with the pressure of change due to this reverse migration. The most important indicators of the change in the physical structure that can be noticed more easily are the contemporary structures that are added to the traditional texture. This article aims to define the existing rural landscape values ​​and discuss the physical and sociological threats faced by the settlement, which can be considered as the primary step in carrying out an effective conservation action in the historical Büyükhüsun settlement, where the risk of loss of heritage values ​​by entering the rural gentrification process is intensely felt.