Thesis (MID) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Interior Design Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 184-202)

ABSTRACT The interior spaces, which were once limited to walls, ceilings and floors, but were sufficient for an individual's shelter and survival, have gone beyond the concept of shelter today and it reached the limit of developing the concept of belonging which considers both the individuals physical and mental abilities and needs. With this perspective, interior spaces must be set according to their users' abilities and needs in order to realize the concept of place attachment. Therefore, space should provide the necessary measures in order to satisfy its users both physically and mentally. On the other hand, integrating people with special needs into society rather than excluding them is the most important issue of contemporary social policies. The society should create the necessary aspects for all individuals with special needs, to be part of the daily life in line with their skills, in other words regarding to their capabilities, instead of set them living dependent on their environment. In this respect, the educational spaces for people with special needs, especially people with mental disabilities, has been assigned as the main research area of the thesis. Therefore, the thesis, aimed to determine the criteria for place attachment in the educational spaces for people with special needs. For doing so, both qualitative and quantitative research methods based on literature review, documentation, case studies and field studies were used. In that respect, comparative case study as well as questioners and on-site observations has been decided to be part of the methodology of the thesis. Thus, the obtained data were examined based on the Edward Relph's "Three Components of a Place" in order to set the necessary criteria for those mentioned educational spaces for people with mental disabilities.