Campus design, walking practice and spatial appropriation: a psychogeographic comparison of the alle at Van Yüzüncü Yil University and Ankara Middle East technical university in Turkey

Abstract

This paper focuses on the forms of spatial appropriation at two university campuses in Turkey via a psychogeographic lens. Middle East Technical University in Ankara (the capital city) was designed in 1960s with reference to a well-defined alle; Van Yüzüncü Yıl University is in the eastern part of Turkey and constructed in 1980s, the alleis attached after several decades. Alle, as an extension of ‘street’ in university campuses, is the constructive spatial structure in campus design and as a result it should be (both physical and mental) spine of design policy. The main question of the paper is: how the spatial appropriation differentiates via walking practice at allein selected two cases with reference to differentiated design policies of spatial hierarchy at campuses.

Keywords: Alle, campus design, psychogeography, spatial appropriation, Turkey