Disaster Awareness and Education Center-Park Design: Investigation of Outdoor Spaces on Graduation Project of Architecture Students

Turkey has a history of various natural disasters. In architecture education, students need to be informed about natural disasters, produce information, and use the knowledge in their designs to play an essential role in shaping the built environment. The disaster awarenesseducation center and park aim to raise awareness and educate all segments of society about natural disasters and create practical solutions when necessary. Objectives: The research aims to systematically examine urban landscape design solutions to raise awareness of the architectural students about disasters through an exemplary disaster awareness park in Istanbul. The proposed landscapes are classified concerning disaster awareness level, education and training capacity and the potential to serve as a post-disaster meeting point and temporary management center. Methods: This research presents an architectural design process. The research uses landscape planning and design principles to evaluate student projects concerning the relationship between indoor spaces and disaster awareness and education parks in open areas. Results: Architecture graduate students have been successful in building outdoor-indoor connections, multi-purpose use of outdoor spaces, designing open space services, and solving services and meeting areas through their projects. However, their designs did not address planting, ecological and sustainable green space, and emergency water use.