5. Discussion and conclusion

This research aimed to reveal the quality, compatibility, and/or incompatibility of contemporary new additions and their contributions to sustainability in five case study historic buildings in Ankara, Ulus district. In those cases, it has been determined that either standard or contrasting approaches have been used for the new additions. Compatible case study examples showed that thanks to those new additions and adaptive reuse treatments, and it became possible to contribute to the cultural, social, functional, and economic survivability of the historic buildings. But, it should be noted that since the human needs are consistent and unlimited, it is still possible that those buildings may be subjected to new additions in time that might cause to overwhelm the original building. In those circumstances, it should be strictly avoided to make again new additions to historic buildings. For instance, in Hacı Bayram-ı Veli Mosque and Kursunlu Mosque, it might have been a better solution to direct the users of the mosques to nearby ones, which are quite near to those buildings, during the prayer times, instead of constructing incompatible, overwhelming new additions. As Yüceer (p. 110) mentions, although refunctioning of historic buildings with new additions have some economic and functional gains, may at the same time cause lost "in the cultural, contextual and authentic values" in old buildings [8]. Hence, though new additions are required for sustainable development, the borders of new additions are to be determined thoroughly, and during their applications, both national and international standards and guidelines are to be obeyed strictly. Yet, when the local guidelines are examined, it is understood that, in terms of new additions, they are formulated at a general level, without direct information on types, possible approaches, and conditions of new additions, instead emphasizing that at specific situations, Conservation Boards are authorized and shall make a decision. In this research, especially the incompatible cases showed that, during the applications of new additions, international standards were not followed.

As future suggestions, this research can be a starting point for the evaluation of other historic buildings in Turkey with new additions, and it might give an insight for the new additions planned to be built to existing built heritage in the near future. It is also suggested to develop general local guidelines and standards on the issue, as the future suggestion. It is thought that increase in fieldworks by examining much more examples with new additions to historic buildings will contribute both to development of the local general guidelines and evaluation of their contributions to sustainability.
