SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ESSAYS, cilt.5, sa.18, ss.2806-2822, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Knowing and learning the values and meanings of historical environments and determining the cultural riches and keeping them alive in order to preserve these environments are very important for cultural continuity. In order to do this, first of all, such physical elements as documents with historical characteristics must be analyzed and evaluated. To this end, the center of Surmene district of the city Trabzon in the Eastern Black Sea region was chosen as the field of work due to the fact that the centre has the best timber construction materials that have come down to the present day. The traditional houses in the Eastern Black Sea Region differ from those in other regions in terms of different uses of timber construction materials. From their masonry systems to their framing systems, the traditional Surmene houses are important among traditional Eastern Black Sea houses, in that, they use different approaches in the details. In order to do this, a total of 35 traditional houses with the characteristics of traditional Surmene houses were investigated in terms of material-form relationships and its effects on the fa ades. Analyses were made on fa ades, which have the most characteristic qualities. The study employed observation, note taking and measurement techniques and analyses were made under the headings of 'use of floors', 'load-bearing systems', 'roofs', 'windows', 'doors' and 'bay windows'. The aim here was to provide data for new designs by evaluating and interpreting the data obtained.