Future-Oriented Simulation-Based Strategies for the Sustainable Development of Batıkent, Ankara

Nadir Nasir Shembesh, Halil Semih Eryıldız, Demet Irklı Eryıldız

Istanbul Okan University, Turkey

The sustainable transformation of existing urban districts requires forward-looking strategies that integrate environmental performance, spatial morphology, and advanced simulation tools. This study explores future-oriented, simulation-based strategies for the sustainable development of Batıkent, Ankara, a large-scale cooperative housing district characterized by diverse building typologies and terrain conditions. Using parametric environmental simulation tools, the research evaluates future development scenarios focusing on topography-sensitive planning, renewable energy integration, and nature-based material solutions. The study examines four representative cooperative areas—3D Dubleks, Harp-İş, Tez-Koop, and Ortadoğulular—under alternative future scenarios, including flat versus sloped terrain conditions, and the integration of solar panels, green walls, and advanced insulation materials. Solar radiation simulations are employed to assess how terrain variation and design interventions influence environmental performance across low-rise, mid-rise, high-rise, and mixed-typology settlements. In addition, before–after visual simulations are used to translate numerical results into spatially interpretable outcomes, supporting design-based decision-making. The results indicate that terrain-responsive configurations generally enhance solar radiation stability and reduce shading conflicts, particularly in mid-rise and high-rise developments. Renewable energy systems and material-based interventions further improve environmental performance without requiring structural reconstruction, demonstrating the feasibility of incremental retrofitting strategies. The findings suggest that sustainable redevelopment in Batıkent should prioritize site-specific, morphology-sensitive, and simulation-informed approaches rather than uniform planning solutions. By focusing on future scenarios rather than existing-condition evaluation, this study contributes a practical framework for guiding sustainable urban redevelopment in cooperative housing districts. The proposed strategies offer transferable insights for similar urban contexts seeking to enhance energy efficiency, environmental resilience, and long-term sustainability through simulation-based planning.

Article link: https://www.asianinstituteofresearch.org/ETQRarchives/future-oriented-simulation-based-strategies-for-the-sustainable-development-of-batıkent%2C-ankara