Village Restoration

Its with deep satisfaction that in the last year or so there has been a massive effort to help restore the buildings in Lurucina.

Yasemin Mesda a member of the project team is studying for her Doctor’s degree at the CYPRUS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY. Her request was to post the photos and information of this very important project for the benefit of our fellow village folk.

I would like to share her request by the following mail on the 22 April 2013.

As a result I’m pleased to dedicate a whole page on this subject so we can all follow the project as it develops.

I would like to send a public message of sincere thanks and gratitude for all the work this team has been doing, and wish them all the luck in helping our village restoration

ISMAIL VELI ‘KIRLAPO’

____________________________________________

Jasmine’s email

Hello, good evening, how are you? I am Yasemin Mesda. I am studying for my PhD in architecture-restoration at Cyprus International University. I am working on a study titled Developing a Local Development Strategy for the Protection, Rehabilitation and Revitalization of Cyprus-Akincilar Village within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 1001 project. I have been working in Akincilar village for about 6 months and I will be there for another 2 years. I found the site you prepared while doing research. I would like to thank you very much for your efforts, it is a very comprehensive study. I would be very happy if it is possible for me to share the photos I took with you on your site.

If you find it appropriate, I can start sending you photos right away. I may continue to share photos of the work that has been done over time.

_____________________________________________________

Information on the project in English and Turkish

TUBITAK 1001 PROJECT

A LOCAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PROTECTION AND REVITALIZATION OF AKINCILAR VILLAGE

DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY

With this project, attitudes will be developed for the preservation and renewal of the cultural and historical heritage of Akıncılar (Lourijina) village, which was the largest Turkish village in Cyprus until 1974, and for the revitalization of life and the physical environment in the village. In order for the targeted work to be sustainable, the project aims to both document the historical and cultural heritage of Akıncılar village and to develop awareness and interest in the place with the participation of local stakeholders; in this process, it is essential to develop a local development strategy specific to Akıncılar village.

The European Union (EU), which consists of different cultures, traditions and geographies, continues to grow while trying to minimize regional differences that may hinder its balanced development and produces policies and financial instruments for this purpose. In this context, the EU, which aims to improve the rural-urban relationship by paving the way for rural development, also aims to re-develop rural settlements that have lost population through the Rural Development Sector Program (RDSP) within the scope of the financial assistance it provides to support the economic development of the Northern Cyprus region (Regulation (EC) 389/2006). The EU program, which aims to improve rural settlements economically, socially and culturally, accelerates the development of villages in Northern Cyprus while also guiding central and local authorities regarding the policies that should be followed. The project, which aims to document the historical and cultural heritage of Akıncılar village and develop a development strategy to revitalize the village, will set an example in practice for both similar academic studies and local and central governments, as well as national and international organizations.

Akıncılar village is a village located on the southernmost lands of the TRNC. The village was tightly protected by the Turkish mujahideen during the war due to the surrounding hills. However, due to its strategic location, a large population migration occurred after the war and over the years, most of the buildings were on the verge of collapse due to lack of maintenance and/or dismantling and relocation of structural elements. The rehabilitation works aim to highlight the village’s values and to restore its former importance with its cultural, local and architectural features by solving its current problems. It is thought that the village’s context, which is why it is also related to the south of Cyprus, will contribute to peace on the island by forming the basis for a bi-communal planning approach (cross-border planning) in the long term.

This project is related to the rehabilitation of the village, which is different from the Turkish Cypriot villages with its architecture and traditional characteristics. This village, whose population has decreased by 1/15 in the last 35 years, has various riches with its topography and physical texture, local architectural structures, historical buildings, local stone and limestone suitable for mosaic making, and fertile agricultural lands. In this project, the approach to be developed for the rehabilitation of the physical environment of Akıncılar village will be addressed in the context of historical, cultural and economic sustainability and will highlight the belonging and identities of the village people. For this purpose, first of all, a comprehensive field study will be conducted and the existing building stock of the village, with appropriate and less damage, will be grouped in general; important street silhouettes will be drawn and especially the inns, coffee houses and residences in the village square will be documented with photographs and drawings. The structures related to the history and identity of the village will be studied separately as public and private property. The primary aim of the project is to create revitalization architectural projects starting from public buildings. Thus, it is aimed that the experiences to be gained from this study will shed light on the protection and rehabilitation efforts of other villages with similar problems.

The process of realizing the project;

“Documentation”, where data is collected to determine the unique characteristics and current situation of the village;
“Historical Research”, examining the civil and public buildings in the village with their general historical characteristics and the periods they went through within the scope of “architectural heritage”;
“Assessment”, where the values, problems and potentials of the village are determined;
“Decisions”, where decisions regarding the protection/rehabilitation and revitalization of the village are produced;
Researching new spatial usage possibilities in the revitalization of the village in the context of architectural heritage and social responsibility;
It consists of the stages of selecting pilot buildings in the light of the data obtained through the field study, producing restoration and/or renovation projects, and developing a local development strategy in this process with the participation of local stakeholders.

Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevinç KURT(CIU)

Working Team: Yasemin MESDA, Thomas SHAGBAOR, Ahmet SAYMANLIER, Pınar ULUÇAY, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marko KIESSEL, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim BAY

Volunteers: Fatmagül ÖGE, Belgin SAKALLI, Burcu EROĞLU, Abdullah Quadri, Aminu ABUBAKAR, Atanda JUBRIL, Ezinne OGBONNA, Oluwaseun KUTI

TUBITAK 1001 PROJECT DEVELOPING A LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF PRESERVATION AND REVITALIZATION OF AKINCILAR VILLAGE

This project aims to develop attitudes on the protection and preservation of the natural and built environment; preservation and revitalization of cultural and historical heritage, and sustenance of significant architectural inheritance and sense of place of Akıncılar (Lourijina), the largest Turkish village in Cyprus until 1974. In need to goal for a sustainable approach, the project does not only seek to document historical and cultural heritage of the village but to develop awareness and interest with the participation of local stakeholders so that a local development strategy specific to the area can be produced.

As a territory composed of various cultures, traditions and geographies, the European Union (EU) attaches high importance to the reduction of regional disparities amongst Member States that might pose obstacles to her balanced and sustainable development in the future. Nonetheless, necessary policies and financial instruments are required to deal with such ambitious objectives. Within this perspective, the EU supports projects that aim for the creation of better urban-rural linkages. Under the financial aid provided to the Turkish Cypriot community (Directive (EC) 389/2006), the EU has created the Urban Development Sector Programme to help the boosting of Turkish Cypriot villages that have lost population over the years. The EU programme which aims for the economic, social and cultural enhancement of rural settlements does not only provide an impetus to the development of villages but demonstrates a path for the local and central authorities regarding relevant policies. The project of which the goals are to document the historical and cultural heritage of Akıncılar village; and help build-up a local development strategy will not only provide a base for similar academic studies but set out a pragmatic model for the local and central authorities as well as the national and international institutions.

Lourijina, as a Turkish Cypriot village, was the largest rural settlement of the country before 1974 conflict. Yet, following the post-war years – the last 35 years-, there has been a 1:15 decrease in the population of the village mainly due to the ill-effects of the War. Although most of the buildings were neglected and some of these were abandoned or destroyed over the years, there are still many adobe and stone buildings of historical and cultural importance. Together with the rehabilitation of the rich architectural heritage of the village, the local values of the area shall come to the fore whilst helping the village regain its significance by creating sustainable solutions to the existing problems. Being geographically, culturally and historically associated with the southern part of Cyprus, makes these preservation and revitalization efforts valuable for the possible development of cross border planning approach that shall serve as a base for the peace building in the island.

The village which is located somewhere between two major cities of Cyprus, Nicosia and Larnaca used to host tradesmen travelling along that route. During their visit, tradesmen used to stay in the village at the big public house (khan) located in the village centre with guest rooms for the visitors and the stables for camels and horses.

Apart from such public buildings, there are several other building typologies in the village specified according to their purpose of use: Houses, religious buildings (chapel, mosque), social buildings (traditional cafés, market) educational buildings (primary and secondary schools), and health buildings (hospital). The architectural style of the houses comprises traditional images.

Recently, it has been observed that the original settlers of Akıncılar village who had to immigrate following the 1974 conflict have started returning their homes. This has not only caused a rise in the population of the village but has created a necessity for the rehabilitation of old buildings, acquiring a general understanding to revitalize the built environment. The respectful attitudes toward the environmental, natural and cultural resources are therefore vital. The strategy for the rehabilitation of the village should consider the restoration, maintenance and protection of the natural and built environment. For this reason, first of all public buildings and communal open places should be restored and renovated.

Accordingly, the research process includes following steps:

Identification of the original characteristics of the village and the documentation of the existing situation;
Investigation of the historical buildings of the village; architectural heritage of public buildings and traditional houses;
Evaluation of the problems and the potentials of the village;
Development of a rehabilitation and revitalization policy for the village;
Investigation of the re-use possibilities of the old buildings;
Development of the restoration and/or renovation projects of the public buildings and production of a local development strategy with the participation of local stakeholders

Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevinç KURT(CIU)

Study Team: Yasemin MESDA, Thomas SHAGBAOR, Ahmet SAYMANLIER, Pınar ULUÇAY, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marko KIESSEL, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim BAY

Volunteer Staff: Fatmagül ÖGE, Belgin SAKALLI, Burcu EROĞLU, Abdullah Quadri, Aminu ABUBAKAR, Atanda JUBRIL, Ezinne OGBONNA, Oluwaseun KUTI

The following photos have been shared by courtesy of Raziye Kocaismail

Raziye Kocaismail is well known to the people of Lurucina for her news broadcasts on BRT in fluent Greek. In recent years her activities in raising cancer awareness and leading charities in that field has seen her catapulted to the forefront of familiar faces in the TRNC. This page however will concentrate on her immense and diverse abilities, not least that of restoring her family’s former home into what can best be described as a masterpiece of creativity. The restoration has raised massive awareness of what can be achieved when love, thought and determination combine to turn her home into what can be best described as a museum to the tools and everyday items used by our ancestors in Lurucina. The thought and care is very apparent. Her inspirational masterpiece has shown what can be achieved in a village that was until recently practically neglected and falling into ruin. If all the above wasn’t enough she is now attempting what until recently was considered a pipedream. Her contacts with British residents in Cyprus has now opened the village to visitors on weekend trips which may see Lurucina as a future destination to view Cypriot village life in its original form. Together with the restoration committee this beautiful village, once the largest Turkish Cypriot village in Cyprus may not reach its former levels of population, but people like Raziye and the committee of restoration needs all the support they can get. It remains to the rest of us to help raise awareness and congratulate everyone involved in giving hope where only a short while ago was considered impossible. Last but not least a thankyou to Chris Elliot who is involved with Raziye in encouraging British residents to spent weekend visits and dining in our village’s restored restaurants. One thing is certain the famous Kup kebab’s and mezes of Lurucina is once again giving pleasure to our visitors. Lurucina is once again on the move.

Ismail Veli ‘Kirlapo’