Assessment of urban identity characteristics in public places: A case study of ortaköy square

The city square is the best interaction point between various inhabitants and the city. It is the place where urban identity is well grasped. This study aimed to understand if it is important to have urban identity characteristics to be a successful public place, or not. Therefore, urban identity and public place terms analyzed in the notion of identity and the notion of place. The significance of the city square emerged as a connection between urban identity and public place. To clarify the importance of the urban identity characteristics in successful public places, Ortaköy Square is chosen for the case study. The study area is a public place that the richness of urban identity characteristics was defined in the researches before. In this study the relationship between urban identity, public place and citizens was explained by using the methods which are literature research and photo-analysis. According to these analysis, it is proved that Ortaköy Square is a successful public place. Binding on the studies before, urban identity characteristics were pointed out. Ortaköy Square has all the components to reflect urban identity. It is cleared that urban identity is a necessity to be a successful public place and it exists especially in city squares.