Abstract
Waterfronts or other natural resources contribute in a positive way to the quality of urban life. Parks located on the urban waterfronts can be defined as being both valuable and unique as they combine the natural settings of water source and green spaces to meet the physical and social needs of urban inhabitants. The aim of this research to emphasize the importance of natural areas for the life quality by focusing on the user preferences of the parks on urban waterfronts in Istanbul. The evaluation of the urban waterfront parks in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area is presented by empirical data on quality of life. A face-to-face interview was conducted within the scope of the data set consisting of 1635 residential units selected by a random sampling method. As a result, the reasons that shape the preferences for urban waterfront parks will be discussed and various suggestions will be presented to increase the use of waterfront parks in order to improve the quality of life in Istanbul.
Handan Türkoğlu