User Satisfaction with Coffeehouses Transformed From Housing Units: An Example in the City Center of Konya, Turkey

Abstract

Historic buildings and more recent construction can both be repurposed as a means of adding to the habitability of a physical environment. The present study focuses on apartments that were transformed into coffeehouses in the Zafer and Alaeddin neighborhoods of Konya, Turkey. Five such renovations were categorized in terms of spatial organization, and 244 participants were surveyed to measure user satisfaction with each category. Spatial organization variables such as the type of layout (with long hall or without) and the style of layout (room concept or holistic concept) were used as independent variables, while dependent variables included frequency of use, preference of choosing a table, length of occupancy, general satisfaction, and users' perception of the location. According to the findings, the converted spaces that used a room concept (with long hall or without long hall) satisfied participants more than those with a holistic approach. Visitors responded positively to interventions that made minimal alterations and preserved the originality of the apartments, redesigning each room with a different ambiance. The study also proposes that an approach that measures user satisfaction be employed for other similar transformations.