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September 24, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations — During the assessments conducted with the participation of students with special needs, it was determined that the buildings on the GTU campus largely meet accessibility requirements.
The “Accessible Buildings” field study was carried out as part of the project titled “Recommendations for Improving the Built Environment in Line With the Needs of Individuals With Disabilities (Yapılı Çevrenin Engelli Bireylerin Gereksinimlerine Uygun İyileştirilmesine Yönelik Öneriler),” numbered “2025-A-101-14” and supported by the Scientific Research Projects (BAP) Coordination Office of Gebze Technical University (GTU). The field assessment, conducted on September 17, took place at Block N of the GTU Faculty of Architecture and the GTU Central Library.
Participatory Assessment Through Inter-Institutional Collaboration The study was led by Assoc. Prof. Seher Güzelçoban-Mayuk, a faculty member at the Faculty of Architecture, with graduate student Damla Kırlak as a researcher and contributions from Research Assistant Merve Özyürek, and was conducted in collaboration with Gebze Special Education Vocational School under the Gebze District Directorate of National Education.
Seven high school students with partial visual and orthopedic disabilities, along with their parents, participated in the assessments, which were conducted with the coordination support of Deputy School Principal Halil Aygün. The study was completed in coordination with the GTU Faculty of Architecture Dean’s Office and the Department of Architecture, as well as the Directorate of Library and Documentation, Accessible GTU Division, Directorate of Transportation Services, and Directorate of Construction and Technical Works.
Existing Buildings Found to Have a High Level of Accessibility As part of the field study, students with special needs were given the opportunity to experience campus spaces firsthand. The study aimed to compare data obtained from user experiences with existing disability legislation and standards. It was observed that Block N of the Faculty of Architecture and the Central Library largely meet the spatial needs of individuals with disabilities at a high level.
The project aims to strengthen the full and equal participation of individuals with special needs in social life. Thanks were extended to the GTU BAP Coordination Office; Prof. Elif Özlem Oral-Aydın, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture; Prof. Cahide Aydın-İpekçi, Head of the Department of Architecture; university's divisional representatives; participating students and their families for their contributions to the process. |
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