Evaluation of street configuration in traditional urban space of Malatya

This study investigates the physical and social dynamics of traditional intermediary spaces in Malatya's urban center. These spaces are critical for maintaining the city's historical identity and collective memory. This study aimed to evaluate the integration of transitional areas with existing street infrastructure. The development characterized by eclectic has the potential to weaken the connections between traditional urban zones and the broader urban framework. Despite their proximity to pedestrian-dense areas, these zones are not well integrated into the broader street network. This disconnection has a deleterious effect on their accessibility and continuity in urban narratives. This study used a space syntax framework to examine pedestrian mobility and social interactions in conventional urban environments. Transitional spaces in Malatya's city center are inadequately integrated into the street network, resulting in their exclusion from urban life. This absence of integration limits social interactions within traditional urban spaces. This study posits that urban planning can quantitatively express essential components such as cultural heritage and social relationships. This argument is particularly salient in the context of the ongoing urban transformation that has occurred in the aftermath of the earthquake. Additionally, this study emphasizes the importance of evaluating social relationships through the lens of spatial data in the domains of urban planning and design.

Keywords: Malatya, pedestrian movements, space syntax, street configuration; traditional urban space organization; urban network.