SAUC - Journal V8 - N1 Urban Landscapes

An Assessment of the Design Criteria

of Market Areas in Terms Of Urban Space Quality

Pınar Tabak 1,*, Gökçen Firdevs Yücel Caymaz 2

1
Department of Architecture, Istanbul Aydın University, 34295, Turkey; pinartabak@stu.aydin.edu.tr
2
Department of Architecture, Istanbul Aydın University, 34295, Turkey; gokcenfyucel@aydin.edu.tr
* Corresponding author

Abstract
This study was conducted to determine how the public markets that serve as open urban areas fit themselves among the
other functions in the city and how the design criteria could be shaped in a good organized city. In the study, urban space
quality was analyzed over Yeşilköy market (İstanbul), Kemerburgaz Bol Pazar market (İstanbul) and the Braga Market
(Portugal) in terms of design criteria. These evaluations were applied by revealing the urban space quality criteria through
literature research. In addition, design parameters were created based on site selection, circulation, street furniture (light-
ing, landscape and signing) determined for open market places through design guidelines and existing examples. On-site
field work for the examples in Istanbul was carried out. Three different examples discussed in the study were analyzed
over the design parameters. The location selection, that is among the design criteria of the market areas, is to some extent
important for users to use these areas, but it is not the only indicator on its own. Today’s modern market areas are not only
for selling fruits and vegetables, they are created using good design elements and equipped with versatile activities and
social areas.

Keywords
open markets; public area; urban space quality; market area; design criteria

1. Introduction places rather provide a ‘boutique’ service in Europe in con-

The development of “public spaces” has been an import- ceptual terms. The European market places are structured
ant element of the social, economic, and political develop- with a more accentuated focus on tourism, aimed to pro-
ment of cities. Especially the open public spaces (squares, mote and sell traditional products and keep the past alive.
parks, market places, etc.) have not only served as hubs The marketplaces for special occasions, including festi-
of economic mobility but also as centers with highly active vals or Christmas, not only to appeal to local users, but
social interaction. Although public spaces, including open act as a center of attraction for all the visitors from around
market places, have gradually lost their dominant charac- the world. As regards the permanent open markets, the
ter in urban life from the Middle Ages to the present day frequent practice in certain countries, including Spain and
as a result of the rise of capitalism, they continue serving Italy, is to convert previously non-functional old buildings
as an effectively used urban focal point. The public term to serve as a permanent marketplace. Furthermore, due
semantically suggests the non-private, something that to the COVID-19 outbreak in the later 2019, both the im-
concerns all or accessible by all. portance of open public spaces and especially the open/
semi-open markets remarkably increased with regard to
The open and semi-open market places are preferred in design and that the latter have been considered safer and
Turkey because they offer more affordable and cost-effec- thus favorable compared to the confined spaces.
tive products compared to the shopping malls, while those

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Figure 1. Historical development of marketplaces (Al-Shidhani, 2021)

Vural and Yücel (2006) referred to the “public space” term 1.1. The Aim of The Study
as urban or rural areas that were accessible by people in Urban spaces serve not only to their intended function
their studies, namely “A critical look at shopping malls, the in the society, but also provide social facilities that bring
new public spaces of our time”.. From the pre-Roman pe- people together at their location. The main purpose of the
riod, until the mid-20th Century, the food and beverage-ori- present study was to investigate how market places as
ented market places and wine shops, and land uses as- urban open or semi-open spaces had a place among the
sociated with dining spaces served an urban function in other functions in the city and how the quality of space was
the center of the neighborhoods. These spaces were used shaped by means of design criteria in a well-organized
for celebration days, administrational events, rituals, and city. Accordingly, it was aimed to investigate the quality of
other public ceremonies (Parham, 2005). urban space in the context of marketplace design param-
eters. It is observed that the permanent markets are not
Required standards intended for the marketplaces were used actively and effectively in Turkey. How the quality of
set during the development of the zoning plans for the space was shaped in the market areas was investigated
market places. Accordingly, the market places should be upon a comparison between exemplary cities that actively
designed large enough to accommodate a minimum of used market places as an urban function in daily neighbor-
2.500 people with a maximum distance to the market of hood life and examples from Istanbul.
1.5 km and a minimum service area of 700 hectares. In
terms of size, the marketplaces must be established on a
minimum of 4.000 to 6.000 square meters (Aksoy, 2009). 1.2. Context of the study
The Yeşilköy Market in Bakırköy, Istanbul and BolPazar
Public space consists of open or semi-open areas, in- in Kemerburgaz and the Braga Market, which received
cluding streets and alleys, squares, parks, markets, and design award, were considered sample areas within the
closed spaces, including religious buildings, museums, scope of the research. The Yeşilköy Market was chosen
hospitals, and schools that are outside the private areas because it was accessible to everyone in Istanbul and
and accessible by everyone (Cordan Çolak, 2015). appealed to the middle-income group in terms of social
structure. BolPazar was included in the research on the

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grounds that it appealed to a higher income group and The associated sub-problems include how to choose a lo-
was designed for luxury consumption rather than the need cation for a semi-open marketplace designed to serve as
for the region as a general design criterion. A comparison a focal point not only for the neighborhood per se but also
of these two different samples from the same city provid- for the entire city, how to shape the access infrastructure,
ed significant input for the purposes of the study. Further- and how the bicycles’, pedestrians’, and vehicles’ access-
more, selection of another example from abroad allowed es would be provided. Another sub-problem is the require-
a comparison of the marketplace design criteria in place ment of creating urban furniture elements, which are in
in different countries. The Braga Market was selected due direct relationship with the quality of space in a market-
to the fact that it was good example among of semi-open place, not only in terms of design but also in consideration
marketplaces; as a matter of fact, the market received the of location choices. For example, the design and location
Loop Design award in 2021. selection of lighting elements included in the urban fur-
niture would affect the architectural quality of the spatial
2. Methodology appearance, but at the same time, the locations and num-
First, a literature review on public market places and their bers of such elements would also affect the security of the
development was performed pursuant to the methodologi- space in question.
cal approach of the present study. Sample areas were se-
lected and field studies were conducted upon the literature 3. Literature Review
review with an aim to define the design criteria. The ex- An investigation of the formal characteristics and design
amples from Turkey were investigated in situ by means of criteria of the marketplaces included the public spaces
field studies. The attributes, including transportation, light- and a better understanding of their development would en-
ing and signing, and interior design that would affect the sure an enhanced planning and user experience. There-
design parameters were captured by photography. The fore, a literature search was conducted prior to an analysis
existent characteristics of the sample areas were inves- of the examples by design principles to investigate which
tigated within the scope of the design parameters, which parameters were of importance. The design criteria of the
were determined during the literature review stage. marketplaces as public spaces are important for the or-
ganization of the entire city as a part of a proper planning
Within the scope of this research, three examples, two network.
from the same city and one from abroad, were investigat-
ed in the context of urban space quality with a view to the It was suggested that one of the most important functions
design criteria of open markets. The confined and perma- of open urban spaces is to create a social fabric. Certain
nent marketplaces were excluded from the scope of the criteria, including central location, proximity, accessibility,
study and the research was limited to open and semi-open delimitation, decisiveness, focusing, guiding, continui-
market areas in consideration of the fact that the forego- ty, provision, conjunctivity, and differentiation associated
ing marketplaces would have differences in design criteria with those places provide guidance for the user behav-
terms. iors (Erdönmez, Akı, 2005). İnceoğlu and Aytuğ described
the primary needs of users in public space as comfort,
2.1 The problem of the study rest, active/passive participation, exploration, and human
A comparison with the public open market spaces in de- needs (İnceoğlu, Aytuğ, 2009). Whyte defined the basic
veloped countries indicated that the examples from Tur- attributes that should be featured by public spaces as ac-
key were located in arbitrary unoccupied spaces due to cessibility, people’s ability to engage in various activities,
functional needs but not developed as planned spaces in the comfort and good image of the space, and offering a
line with design criteria. In this context, design criteria and sincere space that would support social activities, where
parameters were determined in order to help determine people meet each other, and provide further social inter-
the quality of the space and to suggest the attributes of a action (Whyte, 2000).
good marketplace design.

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SAUC - Journal V8 - N1 Urban Landscapes

Open markets as the public and open urban areas are İnceoğlu and Aytuğ emphasized four main topics
classified as food-oriented (fruit and vegetable markets associated with the quality of public spaces as identified
and organic markets), clothing-oriented (clothing and by Roger Tym & Partners for One Northeast. The said
souvenir markets), animal markets (markets intended for topics are;
Muslim Festival of Sacrifice, bird markets, fish markets),
and second-hand product sellers (flea markets, antique • Vitality (in terms of use and activities)
markets, and car markets) (Uzgören, 2021). • Sense of place (identity, image, and physical quality)
• Entry, connection, and movement
3.1. Concept Of Quality In Urban Space • Community involvement (İnceoğlu, Aytuğ, 2009).
The quality concept is associated with necessity. Uzgören
and Erdönmez (2017) suggested that the ability of public Lynch defined the quality parameters as vitality (a healthy
open spaces to accommodate certain human needs, in- environment), feeling (sense of place or identity), adapt-
cluding freedom, feeling safe, rest, and comfort were as- ability (the flexibility of a place to adapt), accessibility (peo-
sociated with a quality physical environment. ple, activities, resources, space, and information), and
control (responsible control of the environment) (Lynch,
The criteria of the Project for Public Space (PPS), an in- 1984). Van der Voordt referred to as the quality of space
terdisciplinary, non-profit organization on public spaces, in architecture under four headings. These are technical
regarding the quality of urban spaces, are provided in Fig- quality, functional quality, aesthetic quality, and economic
ure 2. quality (Van der Voordt, 2005).

Figure 2. Criteria that determine the quality of urban space according to PPS (Project for public places, 2022)
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The perspectives suggested by different scholars and

experts on the quality of urban space are summarized in
Table 1.
Table 1. Parameters determining the quality of urban space discussed in the literature section
Uzgören ve Erdönmez, 2017 Freedom, feeling safe, rest, comfort
Project for Public Space (PPS), 2022 Sociability, use and activities, access and connections, comfort and image
Roger Tym Partners, 2006 Vitality (in terms of use and activities), sense of place (identity, image and physical
quality), entry, connection, and movement, and community involvement
Lynch, 1984 Vitality (a healthy environment), feeling (sense of place or identity), adaptability
(flexibility of a place to adapt), accessibility (people, activities, resources, space,
and information) and control (responsible control of the environment).
van der Voordt, van Wegen, 2005 Technical quality, functional quality, aesthetic quality, and economic quality.

3.2. Design Principles Of Urban Markets The right value (quality product, quality experience,
The market design criteria in different studies and guides local economy, social benefit, local food system)
were reviewed in order to determine the relationship be- The right management (effective management,
tween the design criteria of the market places and the customer-seller balance, future-oriented design, open-
quality of the place. It was aimed to determine the pa- mindedness, flexibility)
rameters to be used in the investigation of the example The right public space (entrance, seating,
marketplaces in the study. PPS suggested 10 main topics maintenance, shading, flexibility, provision) (URL-1)
important for the design of a good market place. Those are
listed below with their important points; A study by Moore emphasized accessibility, physical and
psychological comfort, and physical and visual access
The right supplier (quality, appearance and to landscape and water elements in the spatial design of
cleanliness, innovation, competitiveness, locality, open market places. A study by Balsas and Carlos, namely
attractiveness, and service) “The role of public markets in urban habitability and com-
The selection of right location (visibility, accessibility, petitiveness”, which investigated examples from different
memorability, ease of flow, parking lots, connection to countries, suggested the important design criteria for the
nearby places - restaurant, cafe, etc.) markets as follows:
The right connections (identity that reflects the
public, public transport connection, local economy, Location (neighborhood or a commercial area, etc.)
common benefit with nearby commercial units, Access-transportation (pedestrian, public transport,
greenery - bike connections, bringing neighborhoods and parking lot, etc.),
together) Building design (multi-storey or open market on the
The right economy (sustainable foundation, fund ground),
research, booth rental, promoting new investments) Structural interior design (individual sales stands or
The right combination (international competition, as an open store),
variety, different price and quality level, local, balance, Main commercial area,
clarity) Additional services (additional spaces such as
The right mission (intentions and goals, new job library, benches, library, social center),
opportunities, sustainability, local culture, ability to Animation program (concerts, art festivals, etc.
make people happy) indicative of the flexible use of the space),
The right publicity (events, passive education, Administrative structure (private or public) (Balsas
sponsorship and fundraisers, partners, liaising with the and Carlos, 2019).
community)
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SAUC - Journal V8 - N1 Urban Landscapes

The main and subheadings of the parameters set for the feature, structure and material feature, roof features), ac-
“Cambridge market area concept project” were as follows: cess (road design, parking pockets, bicycle access, pe-
design (operational frequency - permanent or on occa- destrian and handicap access), additional services (elec-
sional operation criterion, flexibility of use, booths, area trical resources, internet, infrastructure-drainage, water
layout (wide space, usable area status, etc.), activities resources, waste-related systems, toilets and warehous-
(eating and drinking places), coating (asphalt, reinforced es), and urban furniture (benches, signage, trash cans,
concrete, coating, block coating, tile, etc.), battens, drains, mailboxes, telephone booths, bollards, lighting elements).
existing pedestrian accessibility, booths (design, module

Figure 3. Examples of urban furniture in marketplaces (Riccarton-Cambridge Market Square Concept Design, 2021)

Figure 4. Signage examples, Greenville Island-Canada (Project for public places, 2022)

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Table 2 shows the data included in the design criteria

guide for an exemplary market area in New Zealand.

Table 2. Criteria included in the Auckland marketplace design guide (City of Auckland, 2004)

Urban Design Guidelines (for buildings) Street Furniture

(i) be located in areas which are not subject to major (i) design and construct a rich variety of high quality durable
pedestrian pathways. public space paraphernalia, such as seats, litter bins,
(ii) be architecturally expressive of their temporary bollards, sign posts, advertising signs/billboards, lamp posts,
nature. other lighting fixtures, drinking fountains, plant containers,
(iii) be simple in form, color, and materials to place flags, awnings, canopies, umbrellas, and temporary
emphasis on the activities taking place. structures, that reflect the waterfront character of the Viaduct
(iv) complement, and contrast with, the architectural Harbour and avoid imposing a standardised precinct style.
character of permanent buildings. (ii) the layout of street furniture should be determined by the
(v) not intrude on any view shaft. plan form of and circulation patterns within the public space.
Such furniture should generally reinforce the periphery of the
Car Parking
space, leaving the centre clear and free of clutter.
(i) provide access to car parks from streets and lanes
(iii) lay out street furniture in a simple, axial, and formal fashion
(ii) combine car park access with service vehicle access
rather than an abstract or haphazard manner.
wherever possible
(iv) ‘standard issue’ elements, such as telephone booths,
(iii) avoid access ramps running parallel to street edges
should be discretely located so that they are easily seen and
(iv) restrict the width of any street front car park access.
accessible but do not dominate their surroundings.
(v) provide pedestrian access to and egress from above
(v) minimise the number of sign posts and supports by
or below ground car parks directly within buildings via
attempting to combine more than one sign or notice on to
lifts and stairs not locate access to and egress from
any one vertical support. Consideration should be given
car parks in public squares, as this may compromise
to attaching signs to buildings sympathetically, rather than
the flexibility of use of these places
mounting them on poles.
Planting Lighting
(i) deploy planting as a space-defining materials, species should (i) optimise public safety throughout the area.
be selected for their architectural form and sculptural (ii) use lighting to enhance and modulate the public environment for
qualities, night time activity.
(ii) not use planting to soften or camouflage inappropriately (iii) carefully consider the type, placement, and quality of lighting as a
designed building edges. fundamental design component, including lighting of building
(iii) respect the urban planting tradition, where trees typically grow facades and details.
out of a horizontal, hard or planted ground plane. (iv) vary lighting levels to suit various locations but without compromising
(iv) A suburban approach to planting where trees typically security and safety (inadequate lighting) or privacy and
arise out of a mass of other plant types is considered character (excessive or harsh lighting).
inappropriate. (v) not use fluorescent lighting.
(v) where appropriate public and urban space defining forms (vi) not use coloured lighting, except for special events on a temporary
can be achieved, preference should be given to the use of basis.
native planting (vii) where the use of neon is desired, ensure that its design
and colour is integrated with the architecture to which it is
attached, and the expressive of the premises and activities to
which it is drawing attention.
Ground Coverings Signboards/Signage
(i) use materials and details in the design of public (i) ensure that signs are designed to a high standard and
places which are typically encountered in urban and complement the architectural qualities, materials, details, and
port-operating waterfront locations. Materials should colours of the buildings to which they relate.
have a robust, durable quality. (ii) ensure that shape of signs and their location on the building,
(ii) select materials for all components of street assist in reinforcing a vertical proportional emphasis in the
development (and maintenance) on the basis of the building facade.
collective criteria of economy, serviceability, durability (iii) avoid free-standing commercial signs.
and appearance. (iv) exclude billboard type signs that draw the eye from vistas or
(iii) surface public places with hard paving which should buildings, and are not of pedestrian scale
be simple in design and pattern, and assist in tying
Service Units
surrounding buildings into a coherent relationship.
(i) provide service access points which do not compromise
(iv) provide paving and alternative textural, tonal, and
long lengths of what should predominantly be vibrant and
modular materials which contribute to human comfort
pedestrian-comfortable commercial/retail street edges.
in scale and appearance, and which prevail over
(ii) combine service access with car park access wherever
harsh surfaces such as asphalt and concrete.
possible.
(v) consider level changes, especially where these assist
(iii) provide service vehicle access from streets and lanes.
in achieving a transition between the levels of land
(iv) seek to combine vehicle access/egress points so as to limit
and water, but not to the extent that the flexibility of
their effect on the pedestrian environment.
use of the public place or the access of non-ambulent
(v) house all rubbish and rubbish containers so that they are not
people is likely to be constrained or compromised.
visible from public spaces.
(vi) that street engineering responds to the nature and
character of the area. minimise the slope and number
of falls provided for the drainage of surface water

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3.3. Case Studies no bicycle park belonging to the marketplace. There is

Two examples from Istanbul and an example from Portu- no special landscaping area or seating elements around
gal, an award-winning project implemented upon a design the market. An eating and drinking unit is placed in each
competition, were compared by design parameters with- corner of the marketplace, which has a rectangular plan
in the scope of the study. The two examples from Turkey scheme.
were selected so as to ensure that they were different from
each other in terms of intended purpose and location. The Bol Pazar is a semi-open marketplace operating in the
general parameters associated with the design of market- weekends. The space is inside the Kemer Country Club
places were compiled from different studies and collected and consists of food and beverage areas, children’s activ-
under common headings during the literature review. The ity areas, and booths, where products, including fruits and
Yeşilköy Market is a marketplace in the city center that ap- vegetables, dry food, and souvenirs are sold. It is placed
peals to the middle-income group on a local scale. Bol Pa- inside a forest as regards the landscape. It is not located
zar Market of Kemerburgaz has a focus on food and bev- in an area suitable for bicycle or pedestrian access (Bol
erage and designed so as to appeal to luxury consumption pazar, 2022).
rather than serving the needs of the local population.
The Braga Market is a conversion project that received the
The Yeşilköy Market is operated between Florya and Loop Design Award in 2021. Dated back to the 1950s, the
Yeşilköy neighborhoods in Bakırköy. The semi-open mar- building was renovated and converted to its present status
ket area with a permanent location, has a roof cover. Ac- as a marketplace. Waste storage areas, food and bever-
cess is provided by public transportation, including shut- age units, and infrastructure systems were completely re-
tles, buses, and minibuses. Although it is easy to access newed and aligned with the needs 21st century. A space
by a private vehicle, the marketplace and its surroundings with high accessibility was created thanks to planned suf-
was not designed in a planned way to accommodate this ficient parking spaces and its location in the city center
function, and therefore parking lots are mostly insufficient (Loop design awards, 2022).
and traffic jams occur at entrances and exits. There is

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Table 3. Images of example marketplaces by design criteria (prepared by authors)

The Yeşilköy Market BolPazar Braga Market

Location Selec-
tion

Transportation
There is no regular parking lot
Parking lot

Bicycle access/
park
X X X
Pedestrian access/
circulation

Architectural de-
sign

Roof cover

Floor covering

Urban furniture

Lighting

Signage and sign-

boards

Landscape

X X

Additional ser-
vices

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4. Research Results on the grounds that Yeşilköy Market was not designed
For the purposes of the present study, the relevant liter- as a marketplace from the very beginning but arbitrarily
ature on quality of urban space was reviewed to compile chose to accommodate the needs of the city. This inade-
criteria in the scope thereof. The concepts that defined quacy in terms of design can be associated with the lack
the quality of urban space as suggested by Uzgören and of an architectural identity of the marketplace. To reiterate,
Erdönmez, PPS, Roger Tym & Partners, Lynch, and Van such limitations with regard to design adversely affected
der Voordt are given in Table 1. The different perspectives the sense of place, freedom, and perception of space. The
in those studies were grouped under certain titles and pre- marketplace began its operations on an available space
sented in Table 4 as the urban quality parameters. These in a central location as required. Therefore, it fails to offer
parameters were used in the assessment of the Yeşilköy adequate flexibility for future changes or the use of the
Market, BolPazar and the Braga Market, which are the area for another purpose.
sample areas of the study. The sample market places
were scored insufficient (-1), ineffective (0), and sufficient Although the size of the marketplace is limited, Bol Pazar
(1) in accordance with the criteria. In addition, the design was designed as a social activity hub and an open public
parameters that were important in relation to the urban urban area outside the city center. Bol Pazar is not easi-
space quality of the marketplaces were investigated with ly accessible for most of the inhabitants of Istanbul. The
the help of different studies and design guides of the ap- marketplaces appeal to a more special audience. Space
plied examples. The aforementioned common headings diversity is considered sufficient and successful in accor-
as a compilation of the studies in the relevant literature dance with such criteria as vitality, sociability, and com-
were used in the generation the design criteria provided in fort thanks to various facilities appealing to different age
Table 3. The main headings of location selection, transpor- groups and the fact that it was specifically designed for its
tation, architectural design, urban furniture, and additional intended purpose. Its open spaces and the fact that the
services were determined as important criteria in the de- marketplace was operated in a private area positively af-
sign of marketplaces. fected people’s preference of this market and their sense
of belonging. The space features adequate flexibility and
Three sample areas were assessed by those criteria using is sufficient for use for other purposes, including concerts,
Table 3 supported by the images thereof. This assessment or for future opportunities such as growth or amendment.
is presented in Table 5. In terms of the relevant criteria, The Braga Market was constructed upon conversion of an
the marketplaces were rated as insufficient (-1), ineffective existing building with a new design. It is a positive example
(0), and sufficient (1). in terms of accessibility and connections with its vicinity
thanks to its location in the city center. As an award-win-
Accordingly, Yeşilköy Market is an easy to access space ning conversion project, it has no deficiencies associated
thanks to its location. It is a popular and widely used area with the need for social activities and other additional ser-
for the users. However, it is inadequate by certain aspects vices. It features a high design flexibility. It was designed

Table 4. An assessment of example marketplaces by urban quality criteria (improved by authors)

Yeşilköy Market Bol Pazar The Braga Market

Urban Quality Parameters -1 0 1 -1 0 1 -1 0 1

Connection/ access
Comfort/ convenience
Vitality, sociability
Sense of place, feeling safe, sensation, freedom
Adaptability

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Table 5. An assessment of the example areas by the criteria affecting the quality of urban space in the context of market-
place design (developed by authors)

Yeşilköy Market Bol Pazar Braga Market

-1 0 1 -1 0 1 -1 0 1
Location Selection
Transportation
Parking Lot
Bicycle Access/Park
Pedestrian Access/Circulation
Architectural Design
Roof Cover
Floor Covering
Urban Furniture
Lighting
Signage And Signboards
Landscape
Additional Services

so as to appeal to everyone from different segments and ketplace special. There are food and beverage courts that
age groups during the planning stage, and in that respect, sell similar products at the entry points and at almost every
it incorporates positive design features with a view to corner of the marketplace.
sense of place and sense belonging.
Bol Pazar is a project that was considered as an alter-
The parameters, which determine the quality of urban native to standard marketplaces. It is located in Kemer-
space in terms of design, are compiled and presented in burgaz area. It is situated away from the city center as
Table 3. Location selection was taken as the first criteri- regards location selection. It is not placed in a location
on in the analysis of the example marketplaces. Yeşilköy suitable for bicycle or pedestrian access. Its location in
Market is a place that is actively used in the city thanks to the forest does not allow access by any means of pub-
its central location. It is easy to access with its close con- lic transportation. Although the only access option is by
nection to public transportation alternatives. There are dif- private vehicle, there is no regular parking lot specifically
ferent public transportation alternatives such as minibuses available for the marketplace. As regards the architectural
that provide access to the marketplace. Pedestrian access features, the marketplace was designed so as to employ
is easy for the inhabitants of the surrounding area. Never- soft ground covering suitable for walking and a roof cover.
theless, the area is a busy in terms of vehicle traffic and is Lighting and signage of the spaces and guiding plates in
not suitable for transportation by bicycle. The parking lot the vicinity are sufficient. The marketplace is located within
is not well designed and insufficient. The marketplace roof the Kemerburgaz city forest.
cover does not have a special design. It was not specifi-
cally designed for its intended purpose, and therefore, the The Braga Market is located in one of the areas with the
floor covering is an asphalt-based hard ground that is not highest accessibility in the center of the city. Due to the
suitable for walking. There are sufficient light and lighting fact that its design was based on a conversion of the old
facilities and guiding signage in the marketplace.” There is market area, the parking area, social facilities, and archi-
no guiding landscape element that would make the mar- tectural parameters were considered in the design. Food

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and beverage courts, roof and floor coverings, signboards ed as a venue, where people could meet their shopping
and circulation areas are highly sufficient for a market- needs. to the market.
place. Bicycle parking or access was not considered. The examples within the scope of the study suggested
that a well-designed marketplace, not only met the shop-
5. Conclusion ping requirements but also accommodated different social
The present study aimed to investigate the place of mar- needs. The improved versatility for different activity ser-
ketplaces among other functions within the city and to vices increased people’s tendency to prefer the market-
suggest the development of design criteria and spatial place in question. In addition, the examples of Bol Pazar,
quality in a well-organized city. Two different marketplaces which was open on weekends, and the Braga Market,
in Istanbul and a marketplace from Portugal were select- which was a converted design, showed that today’s mar-
ed as the example marketplaces for the purposes of the ketplaces were not only venues with mere function of sell-
study. The relevant literature was reviewed in order to un- ing fruits and vegetables, but also places created with care
derstand the quality of the urban space and accordingly in terms of design.
the design criteria suggested for the market places. The
compiled parameters were tabulated in the results section,
and the example marketplaces were investigated based
on those parameters. References

Accordingly, it is important to provide good connections Aksoy, Y. (2009). Pazar Yerlerinin Şehir Planlaması Stan-
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