Transformation of historical and spatial identity in the process of repurposing: The case of Cendere art museum

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2025.v6i3184

Keywords:

Cendere Art Museum, Cultural Sustainability, Industrial Buildings, Re-functionalisation, Spatial Identity

Abstract

The re-functionalisation of industrial buildings is important in terms of ensuring spatial continuity from the past to the present and preserving cultural heritage and bringing new uses. This study analyses the transformation process of industrial buildings from the perspective of architecture and interior architecture and examines the effects of this transformation on spatial identity through the example of Cendere Art Museum. In the research, the historical and contemporary functions of the space are analysed together with its structural, environmental and architectural dimensions; the results are evaluated in order to provide a methodological contribution to the literature. The main aim of the study is to reveal the effects of spatial transformation in the process of re-functionalisation of industrial buildings and to examine the new identity and functions that such projects bring to the space in the case of Cendere Art Museum. In addition, these analyses are aimed to contribute to the literature on architecture and interior architecture. In the research, the transformation process of Cendere Art Museum was analysed by SWOT analysis method. In this context, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the building were evaluated in the spatial context; a comprehensive analysis was carried out by associating the historical function and current intended use of the space with structural, environmental and architectural features. Through this method, the advantages and challenges encountered in the transformation process were systematically analysed and the results were interpreted in line with spatial sustainability and the contributions of the new functions to the space. The results show that the re-functionalisation of the Cendere Art Museum has given the space a new identity and that this process has set an important example in terms of cultural sustainability. It has been determined that harmony has been achieved between the environmental context, historical features and new function of the building. The re-functionalisation of industrial buildings is an important approach in terms of spatial and cultural sustainability. The example of Cendere Art Museum reveals the potential of giving new life to historical industrial buildings and the effects of methodological approaches in this process. Such projects have an important place in the literature of architecture and interior architecture.

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Author Biographies

  • Neslihan Yıldız, Gedik University

    Neslihan Yıldız is currently an Assoc. Prof. Dr. at Istanbul Gedik University, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. She received her BArch degree in Architecture (2009) from Haliç University. She obtained her MSc degree (2012) from Haliç University and her PhD in Interior Architecture (2018) from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. She worked as a Research Assistant at Haliç University between 2012 and 2017 and received her title as Associate Professor in 2023. Her primary research and publication areas include accessibility and disabled-friendly design principles, adaptive reuse of historical structures, user satisfaction-focused interior design, and artificial intelligence applications.

  • Mert Kılıçaslan, Gedik University

    Mert Kılıçaslan is a lecturer in the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Istanbul Gedik University. He received his BA (2021) and his MA (2024) from Istanbul Gedik University. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University. He worked as an interior designer in the commercial market between 2021 and 2023. He currently works freelance. His primary areas of research, research, and publication include architecture and cinema, the reuse of historical buildings, the use of color in interior spaces, user-centered interior design, and artificial intelligence applications.

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Published

2025-12-24

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Section

Research Articles

How to Cite

Transformation of historical and spatial identity in the process of repurposing: The case of Cendere art museum. (2025). Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning, 6(3), 581-601. https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2025.v6i3184

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