Delimiting Istanbul's Urban Centers Through GIS

Abstract

The fundamental contribution of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the field of planning is the opportunities it provides for the simultaneous evaluation of spatial data in different ways. In this context, the integration and synthesis of data in different scales within the framework of the objectives and certain assumptions are critical in terms of providing a database for both decision-making processes and advanced planning studies. In this study, the criteria emphasized in the literature for the delimitation of the central areas, which are one of the primary functions in urban planning, were brought together by using geographic information systems and then the boundaries of the regions having central characteristics were determined. Data which has a different scale and measurement units in terms of activity density, built environment, accessibility, real estate value and employment were standardized and stored in a fishnet grid database created by the author. Total score in a grid cell shows the grid cell's level of centrality feature. In the final map, grid cells with the highest scores define the limits of the urban centers.