Proceedings e report - Firenze University Press

WOODEN LOAD BEARING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF
KULA TRADITIONAL HOUSES
CASE STUDY OF ZABUNLAR AND GÖLDELILER HOUSES
Mine Tanac*, Ozgul Yılmaz Karaman
Faculty of Architecture, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
Abstract
In this paper, two important Kula houses are focused as a case study. These examples are chosen because one of
the renovation works of these buildings is done and other is in process. These buildings are Zabunlar House, and
Hikmet Bozkurt House. The wooden load bearing structural elements of these two main buildings are analyzed
from the point of view of dimensions, construction methods, junction methods of elements, and renovation
techniques of the buildings.
1. Introduction
Throughout history, wherever wood has been available as a resource, it has found favor as a building
material for its strength, economy, workability and beauty.
Wood remains one of our most important renewable natural polymers, providing shelter, supporting
transportation, and even allowing us to effectively communicate via writing. However, wood is a
biological material that can be degraded by a variety of organisms. In buildings, the agents of
deterioration are primarily fungi and insects, and their occurrence is generally a function of conditions
created through original construction, changes in designs, or the lack of rigorous maintenance [1].
The Turkish House can be defined as the types of houses which Turks have lived in throughout
history. The basic-system of construction is the timber frame with infilling material or the lathe and
plaster [2]. The timber frame construction is compatible with the forest cover of Anatolia and the
Trace region and is also preferable to other type of construction methods because these regions are
within the seismic zones. Furthermore, this method enabled quick construction and therefore suited the
needs of an ever-expanding society, continuously on the move. For the same reason the details of
wood construction are very simple; simple joints and nailed bindings have been preferred to
complicate joint details. This construction method also facilitated the reconstruction, within a short
time when whole quarters were destroyed instantaneously by fire [3]. The timber frame construction
also facilitated opening more windows building projections and wide eaves. This provided control
over climatic conditions, and enabled the building to breathe in humid climates, which, in turn, helped
prevent condensation and moisture in the rooms.
2. Definition of wooden load bearing structural elements of kula traditional houses
Kula is a traditional settlement, located in the middle of the Aegean Zone of Turkey, and has very
important architectural heritage of wooden structures dating back to 2-3 hundreds of years. The
construction system of Kula houses is a mixed type. First floors are made of load-bearing stones with
mud mortar, which are supported by horizontal timber lintels embedded into bearing wall masonry.
This system is called as Hatıl construction system [2]. Upper floors are made of timber frame
construction. This timber frame construction seen in the territory constructed with two main
techniques which are Bagdadi and Hımıs technique.
* E-mail: mine.tanac@deu.edu.tr
Joseph Gril (edited by), Wood Science for Conservation of Cultural Heritage –Braga 2008: Proceedings of the International
Conference held by COST Action IE0601 (Braga - Portugal, 5-7 November 2008, ISBN 978-88-6453-157-1 (print)
ISBN 978-88-6453-165-6 (online) © 2010 Firenze University Press