Visual Pollution in Historical Environments: A Study in Trabzon Semerciler-Kemeraltı Street

In this study, the effect of visual pollution, which is one of the most important factors disrupting visual continuity, on historical environments was examined in the example of Semerciler-Kemeraltı Street in Trabzon, where trade is most intense from a functional perspective. The factors that create visual pollution, their levels, the effect of pollution on shopping, and the precautions that need to be taken were questioned through a survey technique on both business owners and customers. The reason for conducting the survey in two separate groups can be explained as questioning whether visual pollution affects commercial activity from both business owners and customers, that is, from different perspectives. Attention was paid to the fact that business owners were also property owners, and tenants were not included in the survey group. Although both groups had historical environmental awareness, it was determined that customers found the necessity of protecting historical environments more important. It was determined that business owners considered the restoration process and cost of historical structures, and therefore considered their economic values ​​more important than customers. Although the answers given for both groups regarding what needs to be done to protect historical environments were parallel to each other, the answer of restoring and re-functioning historical structures stood out with a slight difference for customers.