Cultural Perception Performance Assessment of Adaptively Reused Heritage Buildings: Kilis Eski Hamam Case Study

Abstract

Adaptive reuse of the built heritage can often result in damage to heritage values both during the adaptation and reuse processes -in many cases it can bear on building performance and user satisfaction. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a well-known method of assessing building performance, and previous studies demonstrated the practicality of employing POE in reused heritage building assessment. Yet, POE’s contribution to heritage conservation has not been comprehensively explored. This paper presents the findings of an indicative POE of a hammam building adapted into a restaurant as a case study. The case study building was evaluated through a series of walk-throughs, photographs, documentation, and a user survey. The POE has pointed to damage and authenticity loss in the building by reuse based on established conservation principles concerning intangible heritage values and cultural perception, resulting in a series of recommendations to prevent future deterioration and improve the performance of the building. A key observation is that data from the user survey do not coincide with the findings based on internationally acknowledged principles of conservation practice, which indicates that heritage awareness still has not been gained by the wider society. Hence, this study concludes that more research is required to examine the use of POEs in addressing heritage conservation issues and suggests a greater understanding of the role of POE surveys for a more valuable insight into user feedback. It also provides designers and decision-makers with matters to be taken in account regarding the preservation of authenticity when executing an adaptive reuse project for a heritage building.