Our faculty contributed academically to the program themed "Heritage at Risk: Revitalization, Resilience, and Redesign," held within the scope of European Heritage Days in Safranbolu—a site on the UNESCO World Heritage List and a member of the Cittaslow network.
Organized in partnership with the Karabük Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Safranbolu Municipality, and hosted by the municipality, the program addressed—through a multi-stakeholder approach—issues such as the risks facing the historic urban fabric, disaster resilience, and the sustainable transmission of cultural heritage to the future.
In the first phase of the program, a comprehensive field trip through the historic core was conducted with the participation of Safranbolu Mayor Architect Elif Köse and members of the protocol. During the tour—which covered a route including the Köyiçi-Girls' Vocational High School, the Conservation Board Building, the City History Museum, the Hıdırlık Observation Terrace, the Kaymakamlar House, the Karabük University Practice Hotel, and the Teachers' Union Building—the city's living heritage and physical condition were observed firsthand.
During the academic and institutional sessions held at the Teachers' Union Building, our faculty participated with presentations covering contemporary approaches to cultural heritage conservation. In the presentation titled "Safranbolu in the Age of Climate Change," delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Merve Tuna Kayılı, the impacts of changing climate conditions on traditional timber-frame structures, environmental threats, and urban resilience strategies were discussed. In the presentation titled “Damage Detection Simulation via Artificial Intelligence,” delivered by Research Assistant Mustafa Haki Eraslan, the role of next-generation digital technologies in the monitoring and documentation of historical structures was highlighted.
The program, which aimed to guide conservation efforts through an interdisciplinary perspective, concluded with the European Heritage Days Flag Ceremony and a commemorative photo session with our faculty members and students.