Resilience and Environmental Adaptation of Timber-Framed Vernacular Architecture in the Altitudinal Zones of Surmene, Turkey

Abstract

This study explores the typological diversity of timber-framed wall construction in the vernacular architecture of Sürmene, a district located in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The region features a complex settlement structure composed of coastal towns, rural villages, hamlets, and highland pastures – each shaped by distinct topographic conditions and seasonal use patterns. Within these local zones, five timber-framed wall systems – Taraba, Bağdadi, Çatkı (Stone), Çatkı (Brick), Gözdolma, and Muskalıdolma – were identified, each associated with a specific altitudinal level. The research aims to establish a correlation between settlement altitudes and timber wall typologies, identifying how environmental and socio-cultural factors influence construction techniques. Field data were obtained through on-site documentation in eight villages and analysed using a Geographic Information System (GIS). A CRITIC-based multi-criteria investigation approach was employed to assess wall systems across five criteria: material availability, climatic adaptation, ease of construction, dismantlability, and structural integrity. The findings show that each wall type corresponds to distinct altitudinal patterns, shaped by topographic context, environmental pressures, and cultural preferences. The results highlight the adaptive capacity of timber construction in response to environmental gradients, illustrating how vernacular knowledge integrates resilience, material logic, and sustainable spatial organisation in the Eastern Black Sea region.