Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Metu Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, cilt.42, sa.2, ss.209-244, 2025 (AHCI, Scopus)
Throughout history, bridges have played a crucial role in overcoming geographical obstacles, facilitating transportation, and supporting trade and cultural exchange. Located in eastern Turkey, Hakkâri is characterized by its rugged topography, which has historically posed significant challenges for transportation. To traverse the region’s rivers, local communities developed engineering solutions utilizing vernacular construction techniques. This study examines the historical wicker bridges of Hakkâri, particularly those built over the Zap River, analyzing their structural systems, material composition, and construction techniques while also assessing their socio-economic and cultural significance. The historical wicker bridges of Hakkâri were constructed using locally sourced materials, integrating stone piers, wooden beams, and woven willow branches into their design. These structures were engineered to be both lightweight and resilient, allowing for flexibility under dynamic load conditions and seasonal flooding. The bridges typically featured a modular construction system, where stone abutments provided a stable foundation, wooden girders acted as primary load-bearing elements, and the decking system consisted of a woven lattice of flexible willow branches, forming a lightweight yet durable surface. The application of the basket-weaving technique in bridge decking allowed the structure to withstand hydrodynamic forces and adjust to environmental stressors. This study incorporates historical documentation, travelers’ accounts, and archival research to evaluate the functional and structural properties of these bridges. Accounts from 19th and 20th-century travelers indicate that these bridges played a critical role in the region’s transportation network, enabling trade, livestock movement, and agricultural logistics. The bridges facilitated access between rural settlements and urban centers, serving as essential infrastructure for the economic and social sustainability of local communities. Despite their significance, the widespread construction of modern reinforced concrete and steel bridges led to the gradual abandonment of traditional wicker bridges. Over time, seasonal floods, natural erosion, forced migration, and socio-political changes contributed to their rapid decline. Today, only partial remnants of the Salda and Geman bridges remain, with their stone piers still visible, yet these structures are also at risk due to environmental and anthropogenic degradation. To explore potential conservation strategies, this study examines global precedents in the preservation of vernacular bridge typologies. Examples such as the Q’eswachaka Bridge in Peru, the Kazurabashi Vine Bridges in Japan, and the Living Root Bridges in India demonstrate the viability of community-led conservation models in sustaining traditional construction techniques. The historical wicker bridges of Hakkâri represent a unique synthesis of vernacular engineering, material adaptability, and communal construction practices. However, these bridges are now on the verge of extinction due to neglect, environmental factors, and infrastructural modernization. Given their historical and cultural value, an urgent interdisciplinary approach is required for their preservation. Strategies such as digital documentation, the revitalization of traditional craftsmanship, and official recognition as intangible cultural heritage could contribute to their sustainable conservation. By integrating global best practices in heritage preservation, Hakkâri’s wicker bridges could be safeguarded as architectural and engineering landmarks, reflecting the ingenuity of past construction traditions.