Kentlerdeki fiziksel ve sosyal bozulmaların iyileştirilmesi amacıyla yapılan kentsel dönüşüm projelerinin yapısal ve yönetsel açıdan sıkça tartışıldığı günümüzde güncel pratikler üzerinden yeni farkındalıklara ve yeniden tanımlamalara ihtiyaç vardır. Üretilen mekânların var olan kent dinamiklerine sağladığı sosyal, kültürel ve yaşamsal katma değer yerine, ekonomik temelli bir dönüşüm aracı haline gelmesi, yarattığı fiziksel, sosyal, ekonomik ve çevresel olumsuz etkileri ile süreç işleyişi açısından bir dizi sorunları beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu durumun kentin fiziksel ve sosyal oluşum ağlarını da direkt olarak etkilediği söylenebilmektedir. Makalede; halen yapımı devam etmekte olan Kayseri Sahabiye Mahallesi Kentsel Dönüşüm Projesinin karar ve tasarım sürecinden, uzlaşma ve yapım sürecine kadar yaşanan olumlu ve olumsuz yönleri irdelenerek, “kentsel dönüşümün fizik-mekâna ve sürece etki mekanizması” odağında bir dizi ilişkiler ağı kurulması hedeflenmiştir. Türkiye’de planlama politikaları doğrultusunda ele alınan ve merkezi otoritelerce kurgulanan/ desteklenen kentsel dönüşüm projeleri ile kentler gittikçe birbirine benzemekte ve kent kimlikleri kaybolurken geleneksel gündelik yaşam pratikleri de aynılaşma tehlikesi ile karşı karşıya kalmaktadır. Bu noktadan hareketle, makalede yapılan her kentsel dönüşüm uygulamasının yer, kimlik ve kültür bağlamında ele alınarak farklılaşması gerekliliği, böylece ‘yere aitlik’ olgusu ile yerinde dönüşüm sağlayacağı vurgulanmaktadır. Bunun sağlanması için yerel aktör ve bireylerin etkin katılımı ile daha fazla katkı koyması, böylece hem denetim hem de yaptırım ögesi olarak süreçte daha etkin bir yol çizilmesine olanak sağlanacaktır. Bu amaçla irdelenen Sahabiye Mahallesi Kentsel Dönüşüm Projesi ile elde edilen mekânların kullanıcıların kentin/mahallenin fiziksel ve sosyokültürel yerel olguları ve beklentileri ile uyuşup uyuşmadığı, süreçte sağlanamayan uzlaşı ve katılım derecelerinin yarattığı aksaklıklar üzerinden süreç değerlendirmesi yapılmıştır.

Today, urban transformation projects, which are performed to combat physical and social deterioration in cities, are frequently discussed in terms of structural and administrative aspects, we also need to bring a new perspective for awareness and redefinitions on current practices. We know that while the regeneration projects stimulate local economic growth in the short to medium term, there are lots of physical, social and environmental problems. This study estimates the local effects of urban transformation policies of applications by using evidence from interventions that took place in medium-sized cities in Turkey. Urban transformation is a set action which consist of laws, policies, economic decisions, and spatial improvement preferences. Urban transformation has a process in which the diversity of impact factors is high, so it includes some forms of partnership that operate between different stakeholders. The paper is aimed to establish a series of relations with the focus of “the mechanism of urban transformation influence on physics-space and process” by examining the positive and negative aspects from the decision and design process to the reconciliation and construction. The chosen case is Kayseri Sahabiye Neighborhood Urban Transformation Project, which is still under construction. The transformation land is located in central business area of the city and it is easy to access from many points of the city. It is also an area where buildings belonging to the Seljuk period and modern civil architecture examples of the Republican period are intertwined. Therefore, every urban intervention planned in this area requires differing approaches rather than one set discipline. The reason for choosing this area is that the transformation project was obtained through an architectural competition. The other reason is that there is so much complex challenges in order to design the habitable new urban area. New project area, which includes mixed functions such as trade, office, and residence, is 51 hectares. The area is divided into 8 stages at the construction phase and first stage was finished in October 2020. There are 622 residences and 55 shops. The research has 2 effect levels. The first of these is the effects of urban transformation about physical, social, environmental and economic changes that are experienced in the present and will be experienced in the future. The other effect level is the determination of the defects or problems encountered in the functioning of the process and their effect mechanisms on each stage of the process. The research was conducted with method of questionnaire. For the reliability of the research, the survey was completed by considering the number of 60 households, which corresponds to approximately 10% of the number of houses. According to the first level results of the survey (physical changes effects); while the organization of space in residences is adequately designed, it has been emphasized that the new residences will not fit the living cultures of the users in spatial terms. It has been emphasized that the concerns that the excess number of residences and different living conditions in the new project will break the neighborhood relations and that social integration will not occur. In addition, the transition from a low-density residential fabric to a high-density life has caused serious security concerns in users. Even though daily life practices are in the same environment, it is highly probable that the incompatibilities and social impairments that they will create will not seriously provide the area belonging. It is thought that making the cultural heritage noticeable in the city with the new project is important in terms of the continuation of the historical culture of the city. On the other hand, the existence of social areas such as shopping and cafes will provide economic vitality in the area. Moreover, it has been emphasized that the increase in land and property values with the transformation project will remain below expectations. According to the second level results of the survey (process effects); it is seen that public participation is not included in the planning and the used reconciliation method harms the trust atmosphere. In addition, although effective planning was attempted in the process, there was a lack of information. For this reason, the process has progressed with legal impositions, especially in the reconciliation process. As a result, urban transformation practices should contribute to life-oriented development. For this, local values and conditions should be taken into consideration, an effective management approach should be adopted, and all groups should be included in the process by considering diversity.