Ecological Approaches in Historical Buildings; Talas American College Campus

With the anthropocene era that started with the industrial revolution and continues, the (harmful) impact of humans on nature has reached its highest level and the world has undergone/is undergoing significant (unwanted) changes in terms of environment and climate. These changes in nature, which also form the basis of many disaster scenarios, require urgent measures to be taken in many areas. The most fundamental reason why the words ecology and sustainability have gained such popularity today is the emergence of the necessity of reconciling with nature. In this context, as in many other areas, the number of studies on ecology and sustainability in the field of architecture is increasing day by day. The research conducted looks at these concepts (ecology and sustainability) from a different perspective and traces ecological architecture through qualified (and generally registered) historical structures that are our traditional cultural heritage. Within the scope of the study, the American College buildings in Talas, Kayseri, built in the 19th century, were evaluated within the scope of the ecological architecture criteria agreed upon today and it was found that a significant portion of these criteria were met by these structures. With reference to the findings obtained, suggestions have been developed to produce ecological, nature-friendly and energy-efficient structures for today and the future.