Resilience assessment framework for the sustainability of traditional commercial centres – Case of the Historical Bazaar of Bursa

Abstract

The bazaar has been successfully recognised as being the economic heart of urban traditional centres in Islamic cities. Thanks to different factors that ensured its resilience and sustainability, the bazaar nowadays is generating considerable interest in terms of keeping its sustainability face to the present fast transformations, internal and external disturbances without losing its values, soul, identity, and its role as a vital commercial area. While a variety of general resilience assessment frameworks have been suggested for urban areas, this paper provides a specific comprehensive framework (GALLDS) that focuses on the fundamental abilities to consider while evaluating urban resilience in a specific type of urban areas, ‘the historical bazaar area’. We chose to apply this framework on the Historical Bazaar of Bursa, which is a living world heritage. Governance, adaptability, learning from the past, long-term planning, diversity and self-organisation are considered here as the main features behind the resilience of the Bursa bazaar area. This particular framework will be helpful for decision makers and urban planners during future interventions or prospective changes in the bazaar areas.